Sieze the Day
by Willmaster
Summary: Boy meets Boy, Boy saves Boy, Boys will be Boys AxelRoxas RomFic based on the song of the same title by A7X.NOT A SONGFIC.Read&Review, but most importantly, enjoy. Rated for language mostly, rating may change, all ideas welcomed.Plot mine characters not.
1. Memories Fade With Time

**Seize the Day.**

Memories Fade With Time.

Axle stretched with a yawn, cursing the blinding sun that flooded his dingy room with light. He rolled over to avoid its spiteful glare and promptly fell to the floor.

"Bugger." The tall teen cursed, pulling himself off the floor. He slouched over to the bathroom and locked the door shut. He lived alone, but old habits die hard. He showered under the freezing water. The boiler was out again. He lathered up his long, untamed red hair with his Old Spice gel. His hair, unlike most red-heads, was a bright blood red, rather than the dull more-hazel-than-red tones of others. Axel's hair spiked back from his forehead and down his neck to hang over the back of his shoulders. It was the most distinguishing thing about him, apart from his small triangle tattoo's; a small upturned triangle, filled in green with a black border, one beneath each eye, just atop his cheek. His green eyes, he was told, looked like emeralds glinting in the sun. He used to agree, but of late the emeralds had gathered dust it seemed.

Axel padded around the kitchen of his apartment, having dressed for the day, and opened the fridge; mouldy cheese, Tofu, half a can of Beck's and a box of left over pizza. Axle grabbed the pizza and, with the scissors, cut one of the three remaining slices in half. He returned the box to the fridge and munched on the pathetic excuse for a breakfast. He pulled a jacket from the laundry and slung it on; it was cold in the apartment, even in summer.

The sun beat down on the lanky teen as he made his way out to his motorbike; the only thing that kept him sane most of the time. He revved it into life, pulling on a pair of goggles, and sped off down the road. He had an appointment to keep. College was the only thing he had to do, the only think to keep him, busy. Plus, he needed the EMA. He had enrolled on a course that had something to do with music. This suited Axel, since he played guitar quite well. The other kids in his class, although younger than him by a few years, where good kids. He liked going to class; not having the money to pay for decent equipment meant he never passed up the opportunity to use the collage's vast range of digital toys. Axel left his guitar at the collage; a Gibson Explorer with a custom blue and red fire finish. He loved his guitar almost as much as his bike. Hell, probably more, since his bike always needed to be filled, and that cost money, but then again, his bike was the last, and only gift from his dead father. It was a Vincent Black Night; a very rare and expensive bike. Its brother, the Vincent Red Rose, was owned by a friend of Axel's father. Axel's family used to be wealthy, but all that changed. Axel's bike was all that was left.

Axel parked up, locked up, and fucked up. He slipped on a patch of oil, hitting the floor.

"Well…that was predictable."

Axle picked himself up off the floor for the second time and made his way into the building. His lesson was on the twelfth floor, and for the sake of it, he used the stairs. By the sixth floor, he was ready to die. Heaved his way to the top floor of the building and collapsed in the doorway.

"Nice timing Axel…" someone uttered, grabbing him roughly and hauling him to his feet. Saix was a tall bull of a teen. He was actually older than Axel, but only by a matter of eleven months. He was a drummer, and had earned the nickname 'Berserker' for his mad drum solos. Axel slumped off to a chair as the teacher walked in. The teacher droned on about final assessments and such before three student walked through the door, looking slightly lost. One was a short brunet with bright eyes and gravity defying hair. One was a taller leaner kid, with long silver hair and aqua eyes. He was stood close to the back of the brunet in a protective manner and had the distinctive aura of an angel, what with the bright hair and pale skin. The third was the blonde, slightly taller than the brunet, but not as tall as the angel. His hair was also gravity defying, and his eyes where also bright blue, but his face, rather than the happy yet sheepish expression of his brunet clone, was drawn into a slight frown, as if something was bothering him.

"Ah yes, and finally, we have three transfers joining us. Sora, Riku and Roxas will be joining us for the remainder of the course. I'm sure you'll make the feel welcome. Now, you all have work to do."

Axel loved work. College work in any case. College work meant his guitar. _College work_ meant two hours in the recording booth with his guitar and a lot of affects machines. College work meant Axle did no work and had fun.

"Axel, we need another run of the second solo." Zexion said over the booth's intercom from the desk. Axel nodded and flicked back to his tab book, finding the appropriate page. A nod from Zexion and Axel launched off into the solo. He was recording a rendition of Jordan, a track by his favourite composer, Buckethead. If he pulled the entire song off, he'd get a Distinction for sure.

"Okay, we have it…enough for today I think."

Zexion watched as Axel walked out of the booth, packing his guitar away. He could tell Axel was made for great things; the solo had reached a peak at 32 notes a second. Axel had thrashed it out like nothing. Such was his dedication to the music.

"So…what do you think of the new guys?" Namine asked as she reclined on the leather sofa. Axel had been invited over with his friends, and he really didn't want to go home. He sipped at the beer and thought it over.

"The brunet and silver haired dude are a couple, that's for sure. Suggestive glances and hushed comments all day…" Zexion said from behind his book.

Axel was thinking about the new additions to the class, but more specifically the scowling blonde. Just about everyone in the music class was gay, bi or lesbian. Zexion and Demyx had been together for three months, Kari and her sister Namine both preferred girls but no one knew who, and Axel hadn't dated anyone for a long time. His last date was with a guy in university, Xemnas. It hadn't ended well.

"Earth to Axel!"

Axel jerked out of his daydream. Thoughts of his silver haired ex where pushed from his mind with reluctance. In truth, he still wasn't completely over Xemnas; he still hoped for a phone call or a letter, anything from his former love.

"What?" Axle said, snapping his head round.

"The new kids, what do you think? That blonde piece was cute." Zexion said, leering at Axel. Demyx nudged him, looking downcast.

"Oh, but not as cute as you babe." Zexion added to his boyfriend.

"I think…It's time I was going home." Axel said. He got up, binned his bottle and left without a further word.

"What's with him?" Kari asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"It's still too early for him. That Xemnas did a real number on him." Zexion said, stroking Demyx' hair.

"What happened?" Namine asked, leaning forward in interest.

"They where dating for quite a while, and Xemnas wanted…you know, _more_. Axel said he wasn't ready and Xemnas said it was fine, that he'd wait. Well…he _did_ wait, about three hours. He went out and screwed some guy named Loz. When Axel found out he thought it was over, that Xemnas didn't want him. Of course, Xemnas just had to whisper sweet nothings in his ear and all was well. Axel forgave him. Things where okay for a few weeks, but that out of the blue, Xemnas called everything off. He said Axel wasn't attentive to his needs. He kicked Axel out of his place, but not after a sound beating was administered. Xemnas went back to University and Axel became a recluse for weeks on end. He still isn't himself; I don't think he will be for some time. With Xemnas, he had everything he wanted, someone to love and be loved by. Now…all he has is work and friends, but you can't _love_ friends, not in that sense."

"Poor guy…" Namine said, shocked by the tale.

"Yeah…but he'll come round eventually. He just needs someone. Someone to concentrate on, to keep his mind busy."

"I sure hope he find someone…I don't like to see him so…blank."

"Nor do I. Axel will never admit it, but he's slowly loosing him mind."

Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line-Line.

A/N: First chapter done, lemme know what you think guys and girls!!!! My first ever RXA...actually, my first ever guyXguy pairing fic so...dont be too harsh.

Oh yeah, Roxas says if you don't review, he'll do something nasty in later chapters. C'mon peeps, save Axel the strain and drop a comm!!! Danka!


	2. I Found You Here

I Found You Here.

Axel rode his bike out to the countryside. He never went home; he just couldn't bare the empty apartment. He rode out to the moors and lost himself in the wind and soft rain. He knew exactly where he was, just not where he was going. He rode until the wind and rain stung at his neck and face. Until his mind cleared and he found the strength to go home. His mind often raced with thoughts of his lost love; how he had deserted him, cheated on him, beaten him and left him broken and hollow.

'_How could he? I loved him…'_ Axels mind pondered.

"Didn't matter to him." Axel muttered aloud in reply.

'_Why though? Why couldn't he love me? He said he did.'_

"Saying and doing are completely different."

'_But he said…'_

"He LIED!"

'_But why...'_

"Because you wouldn't let him fuck you."

'_I wasn't ready.'_

"I know…but he didn't care."

'_No, he didn't. So why do I hurt so?'_

"Because you don't feel anything else."

'_I'm hollow, cold, and worthy of no one.'_

"I'm hollow, cold, and worthy of no one."

Axel parked his bike in the garage and locked up. Still unable to face the apartment, he decided to take a walk. The rain was pouring and drenched him to the bone in minutes, but he cared not. Axel walked the grey streets, letting his mind wander until he was brought back to earth with a bump, literally. He collided with someone, or someone collided with him, either way, Axel found himself on the wet floor with a shooting pain in his behind.

"Nice going there…" Axel muttered to the other person who also shared the puddle Axel sat in. The other person was wearing a hooded jacket with the hood pulled over his face. A distinct lack of chest proved that it was indeed a guy. The hood came down to revile a head of gravity defying blond hair. Blond hair and a scowl; Roxas.

Axel picked himself up and offered his hand to Roxas. The blonde looked at the out stretched hand and got up, ignoring it. He began to walk away but Axel caught his arm.

"Whoa there, hold on a moment. You're Roxas right?" Axel said, pulling the blonde back a little.

"Yeah, so what?" Roxas snapped back.

"I'm Axel…you joined my music class."

"Your point?" Roxas said, looking annoyed.

"What are you doing out in this weather?" Axel asked, dusting some dirt off his trousers.

"What am I doing? Being kicked out of my fucking house is what!" Roxas yelled, pushing Axel away. He took off down the street but Axel gave chase.

"Listen kid, this is _not_ the kind of weather you should be out in."

"Why do you care?" Roxas muttered, thinking he didn't hear.

"Well, I try to be a decent human sometimes, when I feel shit enough. I have really good hearing by the way."

"Look, can't you just fuck off?"

Axle smirked a little.

"I take it you actually have a destination then?" He stated.

"What? Are you saying you've never gone on a mindless wander when you're pissed off?"

Axel chuckled at the stubborn blond.

"So you don't have anywhere to go, and its chucking it down with rain."

"My, aren't we observant? Well done dumb-ass."

"All I'm saying is; my apartment is just down the road…you can stay there if you want. Until you're let back into your house." Axel said. Roxas stopped and glared at him.

"And why would I _want_ to do that?"

"Because, if you stay out all night in this weather, you will freeze to death."

Roxas eventually agreed to follow Axel to his apartment. The door to the dingy apartment swung to with a thud that resounded throughout the rooms. Axel busied himself with tidying away some of the clutter while Roxas stood in the doorway, unsure as to what to do.

"Well, don't just stand there, come on in. It's not much…but its home I guess."

Roxas walked further into the apartment and took in his surroundings. The walls where painted in what was once white, but was now a dirty off-grey colour. The carpet was in bad need of cleaning, as trampled and faded as it was. The whole places had a very beaten look to it. Axel was right; it wasn't much at all.

"So…Roxas. What's say we get you out of those clothes?" Axel said, emerging from the bedroom. Roxas looked alarmed.

"_What?_" he spluttered, completely taken back. Axel laughed to himself.

"Calm down kid, I'm not trying to get you into bed. You're clothes are soaking. Last thing we want is for you to catch pneumonia or something. Go take a shower and you can borrow some of my clothes."

Roxas felt the confusion in him rise, and suddenly found it unbearable.

"Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but why are you doing this for me? Why are you being so…_nice_?"

Axel looked amused as he leaned against the small breakfast bar.

"'Shower's through there kid." He said, indicating the door. "We'll do the whole _bonding_ thing once you're dressed."

Roxas did as he was told and, locking the door behind him, stepped into the hot shower. He noticed there was only one type of shampoo on the shelf, but there was a lot of it. It smelled like cinnamon and apple, reminding Roxas of the apple pies his grandmother made. Roxas became lost in his thoughts and only snapped back when Axel knocked on the door.

"'You okay kid?" Axel's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Yeah…be right out." Roxas replied, stepping out of the shower. He found, to his great surprise and embarrassment that a neat pile of clothes had appeared by the bath; Axle must have snuck in and placed them while Roxas was lost in thought. Roxas pulled on the boxers, the pale blue shirt and the faded green combats. He left the bathroom and found Axel cooking in the kitchen.

"Grab a seat kid…I hope you like waffles…" Axel said, not looking away from the waffle-iron. "I hope you don't mind that I snuck in while you where showering…Not that I peeked or anything."

"Yeah…I was wondering how the clothes got there…thanks by the way."

"Eh, no biggie. They fit right?"

Axel turned around with a large plate, piled high with steaming waffles and a bottle of syrup.

"Yeah, just right."

Axel set the plate on the table and sat opposite Roxas. Axel piled on some waffles so Roxas followed suit. The sense of uncertainty suddenly gone.

"So…are you, um…" Roxas started through half a waffle.

"Gay? Yeah, I guess. 'Never had much time for girls…first three really ruined the whole 'straight' thing for me."

"Oh…"

"So what about you? What's your preference?"

Roxas set his knife down and pushed a waffle around the syrup puddle of a plate.

"My brother's gay…he and Riku have been dating for years."

Axel shovelled in another waffle, watching Roxas with interest. His face was contorted with a mixture of thoughts.

"That's not what I asked. It's obvious that Riku and your bro are an item, but what about _you_?"

"…I never thought about it. I went out with a girl once…she ditched me for someone else, another girl."

"Yowzer…"

"Yeah…so I don't really, y'know, _try_ that much. No point anyway."

Axel grinned over his fork.

"Ahhh…a little sexually curious are we?"

Roxas frowned at his plate.

"No…I'm not gay. Much to my _mother's_ dismay…"

"What about your mom?"

"She practically threw a banquet when Sora and Riku came out…of course…_Riku_ has a special place in my mom's heart."

"How so?"

"My mom…my mom used to date Riku's mom, before she met Dad…"

Axel dropped his fork in laughter.

"Oh _baby_ yes…MILF on MILF porno!"

"_Urgh_…It's _gross_…"

"It's hot…"

"It's rank!"

"It's masturbation material."

"It's _sick!_"

"It's _pleasing_."

"I thought you where gay."

Axel picked up his fork and continued eating.

"Two horny homosexual MILFs going at it like jack-rabbits? Even gay's can appreciate that."

Roxas scowled at the table.

"Thanks for the waffles."

"So…when will your parents let you back in?"

Axel and Roxas had crashed on the couch, flicking through channels on the TV. Nothing was on, as always. Axel couldn't afford to get Cable or Sky, so he made do with normal TV and his extensive anime and Marvel DVD collection.

"Dunno…I guess they'll phone me and yell at me a bit more…tell me I'm grounded and to get my ass home right away." Roxas said, flipping through a random magazine.

"It's half nine…they call you before midnight right?"

"Yeah right…when I'm kicked out, I'm _out_. I just find a park bench or something…I'd go to Riku's but he's…um…well, he's busy"

"You mean he and Sora are currently riding the Hobby Horse?"

"Yeah…so I'll um…I'll leave you be…thanks for everything." Roxas said, standing up and moving towards the door.

"Woah, hold on…you saying you're gonna just crash in the park?" Axel said, standing also.

"I've done it before, it's no big deal."

"Fuck that, you're staying here." Axel said, pulling a disgusted face. His apartment wasn't much, but it was sure better than a park bench.

"No, really…you've done more than enough. I'll just be in your way…"

"Kid, it's still raining, it's near freezing, and the park is suicide to be near at this hour. Don't argue; you're staying here 'till your parents ring."

"You ever watched _The Professional_?"

Roxas didn't argue. He didn't say a word, nor did he frown or scowl. He found he couldn't, as much as he wanted to. He let Axel lead him back to the couch and sat down again while the redhead rummaged through his DVDs.

"No…I don't think so."

"Aw man…you don't know what you're missing. Okay, how about _La Femme Nikita_?"

Roxas shook his head.

"Do you live under a rock? Two of the best films in the world and you've never seen them?"

"Nope."

"Oh Jesus…okay, um…_The Nightmare Before Christmas_?"

Axel's eyes became as wide as plates when Roxas shook his head.

"Right…I am going to educate you in the art of good movies. Sit there and watch." Axel said in a determined tone. He slipped the disk in and dropped beside Roxas.

"_This_, Roxas, is one of the best movies ever made."

Roxas watched the animated film with fascination. There was a magical attraction to the film that Roxas found to be intoxicating. The characters, the world, the plot, all of it sucked Roxas in and held him in a trance until the end credits rolled. It was near midnight when Roxas pried his eyes away from the screen and saw Axel in a similar trance.

"Wow…" Roxas breathed. He hadn't noticed, but he'd been holding his breath for most of the film.

"I know…I remember the first time I saw it…nearly passed out."

Axel looked over to Roxas.

"Wanna see something cool?"

Roxas nodded. Axel jumped off the couch and disappeared into one of the rooms. He appeared seconds later with an electric guitar, old and beaten up, and a cable.

"Does that thing still work?" Roxas asked, staring at the guitar.

"Fender Telecaster…you can run them over in a 4X4 and they'll still work. Well, maybe not but…this one just _never_ gets out of tune."

Axel linked the guitar up to an old amp in the corner of the room and sat down.

"Right…watch."

Pulling out a pick, Axel played the Halloween Town theme. Roxas grinned as the haunting tune reached his ears. Axel played it through twice before leading it off to _The Animals Went In Two By Two_ and the Star Wars theme. Axel grinned at Roxas' grin.

"Good eh?"

"Amazing…how do you do that?"

"Dunno…I just do. I always found theme tunes to be more fun to play, but I got into _Buckethead_ last year and…I've been hooked ever since. Even installed a kill-switch on my Gibson just so I could play _Jordan_."

"You play really well."

Axel packed away the guitar and lead, returning them to the side room. When he came back, Roxas was falling into a deep slumber.

"C'mon Goldilocks, time for bed." Axel said, tugging on his arm.

"Mmmm…go sleep…I'll stay here." Roxas said, drowsy and sleepy.

"To hell with that, you'll take the bed. The couch is _mine_ little man." Axel said with a laugh.

"Mm…not…little." Roxas said, burying his face in a pillow.

"Whatever…c'mon." Axel grabbed Roxas' arm and pulled him off the couch and carried him into his bedroom, slung over his shoulder. He lowered Roxas onto his bed and covered him with the duvet.

"Right…sleep and stay asleep."

Roxas scooted over to the far side of the double bed.

"Share."

Axel chuckled to himself. A tired Roxas was an adorable sight.

"Nu-uh. I don't sleep with straight guys Rox'."

"Pretend I'm gay then."

Axel laughed, smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh god…as tempting as it is…"

"Just…for a minute…"

Axel sighed as he belly-flopped onto the mattress. Roxas pulled the covers over his head and hid, for reasons unknown to Axel.

"Be nice and share." Axel said, pulling at the covers. Roxas yielded, groaning at the loss of the big, squishy duvet.

"You found me …" Roxas mumbled with a yawn, rolling into Axel's side.

"I guess I did…I found you here…" Axel muttered, eyeing Roxas with mild amusement.

"Finders…keepers…"

"Hay Rox'?"

"Mm-hm?"

"Can…can I keep you?"

"Finders…keepers…"

lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline.

A/N: Um, okay, number 2. Yeah, it's been pollished...all of the current chapters have. Keep reviewing peeps, and remember: there's more to come!


	3. Please, Just Stay For A While

Please, Just Stay For A While.

Axel liked his sleep, when he could get it. This was a universal truth, and anything that disrupted the red-heads slumber usually ended up in several pieces. It was only that fact that, the mobile phone (which dared to wrench him from slumber-land) belonged to Roxas, which stopped him from stomping it into oblivion. It buzzed and vibrated on the nightstand obnoxiously, oblivious to the glares of death being sent its way. Seeing that Roxas was still sleeping soundly, Axel took the mobile and slipped out of the room.

"Hello?" Axel said, flipping the phone open.

'_…Who is this? Is Roxas there?' _came the voice of who could only have been Roxas' mother.

"He's asleep right now."

_'Who am I speaking to?'_

"The boy who sopped your son freezing to death in a park."

'_A name, if you please.'_

"Axel. Axel Lea."

_'Oh…Is Roxas okay?_'

"For a kid who was kicked out of his own home for the night, I'd say he's fine."

_'…You must think I'm a terrible mother._'

"An answer wouldn't go amiss. It's not normal to find a freezing teen walking the streets with nowhere to go."

_'Roxas' father has been under a lot of stress lately, what with moving and all. Roxas…he never wanted to leave our last town. I guess he resents us for it. He argued with his father and…well. Let's just say that neither wanted to see the other.'_

"Right…so Roxas is allowed home now right?"

_'If he wants to. It's really up to him. I want him home, so does his brother, but his father…_'

"I get the point; I'll pass the message on."

_'Just…who are you to Roxas anyway? I can't see Roxas staying with a complete stranger._'

"I'm in his college class."

_'Okay…just so I know._'

The line went dead.

Roxas opened his eyes to the bright sunlight filtering through gap in the curtains. He couldn't remember quite where he was for a second, but then the smell of cinnamon on the pillows reminded him. As Axels face appeared in Roxas' mind, the physical version appeared in the doorway.

"Sleep well kid?" the red-head asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Um…yeah, thanks." Roxas replied, looking a little lost.

"C'mon, we don't have college today so…oh, your mom rang while you where asleep. She said you can go home, it's up to you when though."

"Oh…right."

"Still sore about it?"

Roxas nodded, wishing the whole problem would just blow away on the wind, like dead leaves from a tree.

"Well…if you don't wanna go home, I'm meeting Dem' and Zex' later…you can come along if you want."

Roxas thought on it for a second before nodding. More time away from home was always a good thing.

"I'd like that."

"Cool…your clothes are dry so…if you wanna get changed you can. They're over by the radiator."

Roxas and Axel sat at the small table in the café, not saying much of anything. Axel stirred his mocha silently while Roxas gazed into his muffin. That right: _muffin_.

"Look, for all you know the muffin loves you too, just go ahead and ask it out." Axel said, breaking, no, _shattering_ the omnipresent silence that was the café. Roxas looked up from said confectionary with a puzzled look on his face.

"Are you on drugs Axel?" the blonde asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not right now I'm not." Axel said in a sly tone. "But really, the muffin, eat it Rox'."

Roxas picked at the muffin with a fork.

"In Soviet Russia, muffin eats _you_…"

Axel's face split into a wide grin.

"Bravo Rox', you made a funny. Is there a smile to go with that too?"

Roxas scowled a little, slightly annoyed.

"Okay, so I hoped for a little too much, never mind."

"Why are you trying so hard?" Roxas blurted out, stabbing his muffin.

"What d'you mean?" Axel's grin faded a little.

"I mean why are you doing all this? You saw me once for an hour or so yesterday, didn't say a word, and yet you let me stay at your apartment, you _feed_ me, basically look after me, and invite me to spend time with your friends. Why? It seems like a lot for one person to do, just out of the kindness of their heart."

Axel took a sip of his coffee slowly as Roxas stared expectantly.

"You're a good kid Roxas. You deserve better than to be kicked out of your own home. You deserve better than a park bench."

"And how would you know what I deserve? You hardly know me."

Axel smirked slightly. Roxas could really be too much sometimes.

"I'm working to correct that..."

Roxas stood abruptly.

"Thanks for everything Axel, but I gotta go..."

Roxas left the small cafe and hurried off down the street. Part of him wanted to turn right around and go back, but his pride got in the way. One does not simply walk out on someone and then walk back in. Unknown to Roxas, the fiery red-head was at that second spilling change everywhere in an attempt to pay the waitress and get after Roxas as fast as possible. He managed to fork over the right change and ran from the cafe, stuffing coins into his pockets.

"I hate coins, I hate coins, I hate coins..."

Axel sped round the corner of the street and glimpsed the blond haired kid crossing the intersection. Axel took off down the pavement, dodging round old ladies and infants out of prams.

"Roxas!"

The blond either didn't hear Axel's calls or didn't care. Either way, Axel ran harder.

"Roxas!"

Roxas stopped. He heard someone shout his name over thunderous traffic. His imagination conjured up images of Axel running to him with a pained look of longing in his eyes. He dismissed them; Axel wouldn't follow him, not after...

"Roxas!"

Roxas looked back and nearly screamed. A ball of red hair hurled at him from nowhere, the owner of which skidded to a halt, bent over and gasping for breath.

"Rox...ass...hold...on...damn!"

"Axel...what...?"

"You...didn't let me finish..."

Axel caught his breath, taking air in with huge gulps.

"I was going to say...if you're still not happy with your parents...I mean...I know it can feel weird going home after a huge row...I was going to say that...you can come back to mine if you want..."

Roxas came up speechless. He opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to find something to say. Only one word surfaced.

"...why?"

Axel straightened up and stared the younger boy in the eye.

"I...I don't really have anyone else to be nice too...everyone has someone these days...but I'm guessing you don't."

Roxas shook his head, as much to agree with Axel as to stop the forming tears in his eyes from spilling.

"I'm just saying...you know where I am..."

Roxas blinked and Axel was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the walk home.

The door banged shut behind Roxas. He had arrived back at the house he called 'home'. He frowned; his home was miles and miles away, pulled from him like his friends and life.

"Roxas? Is that you?"

Roxas' mom appeared from the living room. As soon as she laid eyes on Roxas, she pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Oh Roxas...I was so worried..."

Roxas said nothing, nor did he believe her. He knew the truth, although it pained him. No doubt his mom had tried her utmost hardest to call him the previous night...

_'But she was too busy getting laid to reach for the phone.'_

Roxas left for his room and sat on the edge of his bed, thinking. At least, until Sora poked his head round the door.

"Hay..." The brunet said softly. Roxas looked up and nodded to his brother. Sora entered the small room.

"How was it?" Sora asked, sitting beside his brother.

"I got kicked out of the house Sora, how do you think it went?"

"I'm sorry Rox..."

"Why? You didn't do anything."

"Exactly...I would have found you, I would have...I didn't find out till' this morning." Sora hung his head in apparent shame. Inside he was beating himself up for playing uke to Riku while his brother was alone.

"Don't worry about it." Roxas said, turning to his homework.

Roxas finished most of his assignment in the following hour, having little else to do. Sora slunk off, still unhappy, to help his mother with dinner. Roxas was just setting down to his laptop when his father walked in.

'_Great...there goes the muse..._' Roxas thought bitterly as the man stood in the door way.

"I see you're back." The man's voice was hard like stone, and just as cold.

"Evidently." Roxas said, typing away. He really didn't need he mans grief.

"Learned your lesson I hope." Suck a cocky attitude, akin to his pure arrogant nature.

"If by that you mean to accept help from others, then yes, I did." Roxas' story would be ruined by this conversation, he knew.

"Help from others? Who would want to help _you_?" The sneer was becoming too hard to handle. Roxas' main character had just stabbed his father with a fire poker. "You're nothing but a waste of space."

And the poker had been in the fire.

"Did you come up here just to insult me?" Roxas enquired, straight faced. His fathers face, however, became dark.

"Don't you talk to me like that." He said, warningly.

"Well tell me, how should I talk to you?"

"You'll talk to me with respect, _boy_."

Roxas almost laughed. The very notion was too much to take. His main character had just broken into hysterics as he poured petrol all over his father's corps.

"Oh, yeah. I'm really going to respect someone who kicks me out of the house without a second thought."

The tall man closed the distance between them in a swift movement and towered over Roxas.

"I'm warning you boy, you'd best change your tune or I'll knock you on your arse!"

He had made that threat before. It was one of his more frequent threats, but he had never made good on them.

"I'm not to sure mother would approve..."

You know that sound in movies where the hero punched the bad guy? That really exaggerated _SMACK_, like a whip-crack? Well being punched never sounds like that. Punch your palm. Go on, try it. Hear that? Well that's the sound that resounded through the room when the taller mans fist collided with Roxas' cheek.

"Don't you _dare_ talk to me about your mother!" The man shouted. Roxas, numb from adrenaline rush, wasted no time in closing his laptop, yanking out the USB drive and pushing past his father. Grabbing his coat, he headed out of the door and into the evening air. His anger was like a wall of fire, consuming and raging. As he prowled down the street, the fire became more akin to a match; bright and brilliant for a second, but gone the next. The further Roxas got from his home, the more his anger ebbed and the more the tears formed. Eventually a sob broke free of him, and his sorrow followed.

Roxas walked blindly through the tears and racking sobs. The streets where deserted, and Roxas had no idea of where he was going. It was only when he looked up at the tall towers that he realised where exactly he was.

_Axel's apartment..._

In his unstable state, his subconscious had led him to Axels apartment building. He gazed up at the building with longing and apprehension; would Axel understand? Would he care? Would he even be in?

As an answer to his thoughts, a small object hit the floor at his feet. Roxas inspected it; it was a cigarette butt, still burning. Looking up, Roxas glimpsed bright red hair disappearing from the buildings rooftop.

Axel descended the stairs to the rooftop, pocketing his lighter. The clear air always helped him relax; something cigarettes could never do alone. Coming to his floor, his attention was caught by the most heart breaking scene he had ever witnessed. Roxas was in front of his door, leaning against it, forehead and arm against the wood. He was sobbing uncontrollably while his free hand pounded on the door.

"Roxas?" Axel said softly, walking closer. The blonde stared up at him, caught unawares. Suddenly the blonde had thrown himself into Axel's chest, gripping onto him for dear life while more sobs rolled out.

"Hay...woah there Rox...what's up man? What happened?"

Roxas, still sobbing and heaving into Axel's chest, clung tighter to Axel.

"He...he hit me...he _hit_ me..." The words fell out between sobs. Axel gripped the smaller boy's shoulders.

"Who hit you Roxas?"

"...my Dad."

The revelation hit Axel like a brick. Roxas was assaulted by his own father.

"I'm sorry..." Roxas sobbed again. "I didn't know where else to go..."

"I don't believe you." Axel said. Roxas looked up at him, even more hurt if that where possible. Axel smiled softly at the blonde.

"You knew _exactly _where to go. And here you are."

Axel had guided Roxas into his apartment and sat him down with a cup of tea. "Doctors orders." he had said with a smile.

Roxas, in his own time, told Axel everything. The sun set as he relived the whole event. Axel wasn't surprised it had Roxas shook up so much; people hear about abused children al the time but never expect it to happen to them. Eventually Roxas calmed down but his cheek was starting to swell. He touched it gently and winced. Axel got him a bag of frozen peas to ease the swelling, but the damage was done, and not just the physical type.

The sun was long gone from the sky and the stars where out in force. It was nearing midnight. Roxas pulled on his coat and headed for the door.

"Where 'you going?" Axel asked, coming in from another room.

"I'd...I'd better head home...don't want Mom to call the police." Roxas said, shifting nervously.

"Are you sure you want to go back?"

"It's not like I have a choice..."

Axel smirked a little. The kid was such a closet-emo sometimes.

"You always have a choice Rox."

"_Like_?"

Axel shrugged, making his way over to the door, which Roxas had managed to open slightly.

"Stay."

To Axel it was a simple solution. To Roxas, it was like a blessing. One he couldn't accept.

"No...I mean, no thank you...you've done too much already...I don't want to be another burden on anyone, I'm not really worth it."

"Rox, it's no big deal, really. You're more than welcome here."

Roxas shook his head, now turned to the floor. Tears where welling in his eyes again and Axel felt his own heart pang when he saw the blonds shoulders shake with silent sorrow.

"Roxas..." Axel's arms encircled the smaller boy's frame and held him close. Roxas latched onto Axel, burying his face in the redheads shoulder.

"Rox...please, just stay for a while."

Roxas' head nodded. His hand pushed the door shut.

lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline-lookattheline.

A/N: And another for you all! Enjoy? Tell me about it...go on, you KNOW you want to leave a review ;)


	4. I Can Move On With You Around

I Can Move On With You Around.

Roxas stayed with Axel. Time wore on, the end of the week came and the next passed. Living together, Roxas and Axel found out more about each other than was strictly healthy. For instance, Roxas discovered just how much Axel smoked, which was not much, and Axel discovered Roxas' band, My Chemical Romance. Both where secrets neither wanted to share, but out they came anyways. The bruise from Roxas' cheek had flared and then dulled over a week, and then was gone forever. Axel still caught Roxas touching his cheek when he thought he was alone, at which Axel would back slowly away from whatever room he was about to enter. '_Roxas will find his own way_' he reasoned, '_in time._'

During his stay, Roxas did everything he could around the apartment. He figured it was the least he could do, although Axel insisted he didn't have to. The small apartment was now completely clean and brighter than it had been before. Axel would watch Roxas work with mild amusement, a constant smirk gracing his thin lips. When Roxas got to work, he really _worked_. Hell, he even scrubbed the toilet one time.

On days will college, Axel and Roxas would hop on the bike and be off. Roxas bought a pair of riding goggles so his eyes didn't get a blow-drying. Axel thought he looked way to cute in them for his own good. Axel and Roxas ended up working together on the college project, to which Axel discovered Roxas' skills on the piano and keyboard. It was during of one such lesson that Axel had an encounter of the Riku kind.

Axel had been simply walking down a corridor to the equipment room when someone called his name.

"Axel!" And it didn't sound friendly. Axel turned around slowly.

"You bellowed?" he smirked.

"You and I need to talk." Riku said. "In here." he added, pulling Axel into the equipment room.

"Oh, very eager aren't we? You should know I don't screw other people's property..."

"Shut up." Riku snapped, looking pissed. "Why the hell is Roxas staying with you?"

"Ah, I see..._Sora_ sent you...well fair enough. If you're really too dumb to understand, Roxas is staying with me because he _wants_ to...

Riku's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"_Why_?"

"That's for Roxas and Roxas alone to explain, but I can say this: my place must sure feel like more of a home than his place ever did."

Riku must have snapped, since he grabbed Axel by the shirt and pushed him against a wall.

"If you do _anything_ to Roxas, and I mean _anything_, then..."

"Then it will be none of your business. None what so ever."

"I'm warning you..." Riku's grip tightened.

Axel's own eyes narrowed, flashing with hidden fire.

"Keep you warning. Now get off me before I slam you head through that amp." he hissed, nodding towards the large piece of equipment.

Riku let go and stalked out of the room

On one fine Saturday afternoon, Axel entered the local coffee shop. He was alone, since Roxas was at the movies with Sora. At the usual table sat the usual gang. Demyx, Zexion, Saix, Kairi and Namine. They where all spread out on the leather seats around the square table by the upstairs window, since the shop had 3 floors. Kairi and Namine where curled up on one seat, Saix was reclining in another. Zexion was sat in one with Demyx on the floor between his legs. Axel noted Zexion was holding a small plushie-doll that resembled Demyx. In fact...it _was_ Demyx.

"Ah, the wanderer returneth!" Saix said, seeing Axel's fiery hair coming up the stairs. Axel slumped into a seat. Moments later a waitress came up with his coffee and muffin.

The gang sat and talked about just about everything for over an hour. Axel was pressed for details on Roxas, of which he gave few but with a smile. His muffin lay forgotten until Zexion asked if he could have it.

"Knock yourself out." Axel grinned. Zexion grabbed the muffin and bit into it.

"Ahhh...I love muffins..." he said though a mouthful.

"What about _me?_" Demyx whined from the floor, looking up with hurt puppy eyes.

"Uh...I love you too Dem'."

"More than muffins?"

"Yes Dem', even more than muffins."

Axel's phone rang as he drained his coffee. Roxas was finished at the movies. Axel clicked his phone shut and, after saying goodbye, took his leave.

"So...anyone notice anything different with our resident redhead?" Saix asked over his green tea. Zexion nodded, playing with the Demyx-plushie.

"He's a lot more...active. Like he's coming out of a hangover or something." Kairi said, braiding Namine's hair.

"Yeah...it's like he's a changed person." The blonde girl added.

"I hope the change lasts..." Demyx said from the floor. Zexion, who had remained quiet, was looking into the far of distance, out of the window.

"Zex'?" Saix said. Zexion continued to stare.

"Zex'y, hun...what's wrong?" Demyx asked.

Zexion was deep in thought. Thoughts that, in truth, terrified him. He knew Axel better than most, and what he was capable of.

"A storm is coming..." The quiet one said.

"So...how was the movie?"

"Pure crap...I fell asleep half way through."

Axle chuckled to himself; there was indeed sings of interrupted sleep all across Roxas' face. Roxas always pouted if his sleep was interrupted.

"Where's Sora?"

"He went to meet Riku."

"Don't you mean _meat_?" Axel grinned at Roxas

"Eww, Axel..." Roxas whined, slapping the taller redhead playfully on the arm.

"Well c'mon Rox...it's not like they're saving themselves." Axel said, lighting a cigarette. Roxas looked slightly put out.

"I thought you where stopping..." He mumbled, indicating the small white stick.

"I am. _This_ is a peppermint thingy...no nasty cacogenics."

"Right...Anyway, what time is it?"

Axel glanced down at his watch.

"Holy crap...it's nearly nine..."

"At night?"

"No, in the morning..._yes_ at night dufus."

"Okay...well let's go then."

Axel faked a hurt look.

"What? You don't want to go hang round the gay bars?"

"No...I'd rather spend more time with you." Roxas replied with a smile. A genuinely happy and contented smile. Axel couldn't help but smile right back.

The trip home was uneventful for the most. Let's face it, who ever expects huge amounts of action on '_the way home_'? A bus ride and then a five minute walk. Axel wanted to get in and eat something. Roxas wanted to curl up on the couch with Axel and watch movies. As they walked home from the bus stop, Roxas somehow slipped his hand into Axel's. It caught Axel off guard completely. Roxas _had_ been showing a lot more attachment to Axel in the past weeks, but he was never bold about it. Axel gave the hand a small squeeze; he enjoyed it, the holding hands. He enjoyed the little hugs he got from the blonde when they met up after being apart. He enjoyed the way they curled up on the couch at night and Roxas would play with his hair or throw popcorn at him after a dumb comment. All in all, Axel couldn't imagine a better place than with Roxas.

'_Sure you can..._' Axel's mind said as he walked. '_...you know exactly where you'd rather be._'

'Shut up...I don't want to think about him.' Axel thought back, frowning.

'_Maybe not, but what about Rox? For all you know he could be the same._'

'He's not. He's nothing like Xemnas.'

'_Axel...think about it. If thing get any more complicated then the kid will only understand so much. Xemnas, now he understood...'_

'He cheated on me! Not to mention..._that_.'

'_Still can't come to terms with it?'_

'You know I can. He beat the livin' crap out of me. End of.'

'_But still..._'

Time, like all things, is constant. Under cover of darkness Roxas stole into his house and recovered clothes and other items. It had become a kind of unspoken fact that Roxas didn't want to return home. Without a word, Axel had asked him to move in, and Roxas had wordlessly accepted. Axel was greatly disturbed that Roxas' parents hadn't tried to get him home, or reported him as missing. He guessed Sora must have told them where he was staying, but it had been going on several weeks. Roxas didn't seem t mind in the slightest. He hardly thought on it, since he had better things to think about. Better, taller, red-headed things with emerald eyes and small tattoos.

Roxas had come to accept his new found feelings for Axel. Around him, it was like the world had dissolved away like tunnel-vision. Together, it was like only they existed. One more than one occasion Axel invaded Roxas' dreams, like a guardian. Roxas discovered that he hadn't frowned or scowled in all the time he had been staying with Axel, such was the older boys affect on him. It only took one night for Roxas to decide that Axel was a little more than important to him.

Roxas had slipped into his bed in the spare room as usual. Nothing different about the nights events; movies, jokes, popcorn throwing. Roxas fell into a soft sleep within minutes, expecting the morning sun to be flooding him the next morning. What transpired within the next hours was nothing short of disturbing. In short, Roxas had a bad dream. But '_bad_' would be a very loose way of putting it. Roxas tossed and turned silently, sweating, cringing, but making no sound. In his head, his deepest fears and regrets where visiting him. His mind was haunted by the invisible predator, the monster no one ever dares to face, the one who's appearance spelled certain doom for the pray. It was the classic _something_ that followed with a steady pace, that turned the floor of dreamland to jelly, and the legs of the runner to steel. Roxas awoke, breathing as if he'd run a mile, drenched in cold sweat, trembling. With uncertain steps me made his way to the bathroom to wash his face. He assured himself it was just a dream. A little self assurance and he felt better. As he made his way back to his bed, something caught his eye. It made his blood turn to ice.

In the middle of the kitchen, Axel lay dead. Blood dripped from the table, from the wall and from the light frame. Axel lay on his back with a ragged hole the size of a wine bottle in his stomach. The floor was visible below him through the hole. Roxas almost died. He stumbled to Axel's side, placing his hand on the cold skin of his face.

Something stirred.

Roxas, filled with the most numbing dread, looked over his shoulder.

It was there.

The thing, the creature, the inhuman being. It was imposable to describe its body, as dark and out of focus as it was. The only thing that stood out where its eyes and mouth. The eyes where wide, perfect circles, with small black pupils. Its mouth was pulled up in a horrendous smile, the corners almost touching where its ears should be. Its mouth was filled with silver, dagger like teeth. The monster opened its mouth and issued a long, monotone sound. Not like a human moan, but just one sound, low and drawn out. Its sound chilled Roxas to the bone and he fell to the floor, his body convulsing. Fears ripped at his mind and heart as, from the floor, he watched Axel's dead head turn and face him, his face now replaced with that of the monster, startled eyes and crazed smile. The monster-Axel slowly opened its mouth and...

Roxas awoke.

Axel was torn from his slumber by nothing at all. He simply awoke, with no good reason to. Although he tried to get back to his rest, something kept him in the land of the living. He tossed and turned in frustration, but then he heard it: a sharp intake of breath, like a hiss, from the other room. Then the exhales, ragged, slow, like a cold person when they shiver too much. Axel got out of bed and padded to the door of Roxas' room. Pushing the door open a crack, he peered inside. Roxas was curled up on the mattress, on his side, rocking slightly. From the doorway, Axel could make out his face. It was the very mask of terror.

"Roxas? You okay?" Axel asked softly.

"Axel...help..." the blonde breathed, still staring wide eyed at the wall. Axel crossed to the small form, kneeling beside him.

"Rox, what's wrong?"

"I...can't move...Axel...too afraid..." Each word was a mere breath, no louder. It scared Axel.

"You had a bad dream?"

"So cold...Axel...I'm scared..."

Axel stood up, grabbed the kicked-off blanket and climbed onto the bed beside Roxas' shaking form. Pulling the blanket over them, Axel curled round Roxas protectively.

"You're safe Roxas...its okay."

Roxas slowly turned over and buried his face in Axel's shoulder. His own shoulders started heaving as he cried silently from the terror he had suffered.

"Rox...what happened?"

"You...It was after me...but I woke up and found you...it killed you...it was...so horrible...Axel...don't be dead..." Roxas sobbed, clutching at Axel like he had when Axel had found him at his door.

Axel pulled the smaller boy against him and kissed his head.

"I won't be Rox. I'm right here...I'm not going anywhere."

"Axel...I'm sorry."

"Hush now...you don't ever have to be.

Roxas awoke the next morning to the sunlight he had hoped for the night before. He awoke, still clutching to Axel, and Axel holding him close. It was then, as the memories flooded through, that Axel became more to him than anything. Roxas decided that Axel should know.

Over breakfast, Axel questioned Roxas about his dream. He was curious to know what had the boy so terrified. Roxas, however, didn't want to talk about it. He brought up another subject.

"Axel...Have you ever...I'm not sure how to say this...was I ever more than a friend to you? Like...have you ever wanted to ask me out or something?"

Axel looked up from his bagel and grinned.

"Awww, does Roxie have a crush on me? I'm so _flattered_!"

"...What if I do?" Roxas mumbled. Axel stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you serious?" Roxas nodded. "Well...since you brought it up, yes. I have, on occasion, wanted to be a little closer to you. But...well, lets say it's up to you and leave it at that."

Axel went back to his bagel. After a moments silence, Roxas spoke again.

"I saw Zexion the other day."

"Oh yeah? What's he up to?" Axel asked, munching away.

"He mentioned Xemnas."

Axel dropped the remainder of his breakfast as he face grew dark.

"Oh."

Axel got up and binned his leftovers. Roxas followed him and spun him round by his arm.

"I don't mind that you never told me, it's not for me to know. Axel...do you want us to be more than friends?"

"Are you asking me out Roxas?"

For the first time in months, Roxas frowned.

"Maybe I am. I know what I want, but what about you?"

Axel smirked a little.

"And what do you want Roxas?" he asked, leaning against the work table.

"I...I want us to be together. Like we are now, just closer."

Axel opened his mouth to speak, but Roxas silenced him, placing his hand gently on the taller teen's lips.

"...but only when you're ready. I don't want to share you with the ghost of someone else."

Axel smiled, glad for Roxas' understanding. He grazed his fingers over the blonde's cheek and down his neck.

"You won't have to Roxas...I can move on with you around."

* * *

A/N: Slight change made to this page (teensy correction). Carry on, more lies ahead, but stop to reviw first if you will.

Toodles!


	5. I Hand You My Mortal Life

I Hand You My Mortal Life.

"Oh…_Axel_…"

"Mm-hm…"

"_Axel_…uh…"

"Oh man…"

"Oh…Axel, _faster…_"

"Nearly…there…"

"Axe'…"

"_Rox'_…"

"_YES!!!_"

"Got…it…YEAH!"

Roxas and Axel slumped onto the couch, both out of breath and sweating. Their activities would have no doubt disturbed their neighbours on all 3 sides, but the two teens didn't care. Roxas had spotted a cockroach on the kitchen lino and, being deathly afraid of them, had jumped onto the counter. Axel had walked in unawares, until Roxas said his name. He had replied light heartedly, but upon seeing the bug, frantically started searching for the bug spray. The cockroach had been crawling up the side of the counter, when eventually Axel found the can, leapt over the counter and sprayed the bug until it fell. Needless to say, their victory in such a ferocious battle did not go uncelebrated.

"So…since when where you so afraid of bugs?" Axel asked over his ice-cream float. Roxas had treated him to ice-cream for killing the bug, and Axel wasn't complaining.

"Ever since I can remember…they're just so nasty…urh." Roxas replied over his bowl of vanilla goodness.

"True…still, you screamed like a girl." Axel said with a wolfish grin.

"I did _not_."

"Yeah you did. Right after I sprayed the little bugger."

"That was a shout of joy, dummy."

Axel grinned a little more.

"Sounded like a mouse screaming."

------

By some divine intervention, the summer holidays had rolled around, and my, what a summer it was; the long days where hot and bright, and the short nights where warm and still. During these days, Axel and Roxas would amuse themselves, like taking the bike out or heading down to the city centre, going to watch films or bowling.

At night, when the movies and alleys shut, they would return home and talk. Most nights they would go onto the roof of the apartment building and enjoy the night air.

"Hay, Axle?" Roxas said, watching the older teen flick the butt of his cigarette into the night air.

"What's Up Rox'?" The redhead replied.

"How come you ended up in this apartment? Zexion aid your family was well off."

Axel stared out into the night, where the moon and stars hung silently.

"They used to be…I'm the only one left, since Mom and Dad died…my cousin Reno…he and I are really the only part of the Lea name left. My aunt, Dads sister, she died a few years back. Me and Reno don't talk much…everyone swore we could have been twins; we share the same hair and body style. My side of the family used to have plenty of cash…big house, garage full of cars, you name it. I don't really know what happened, but we started loosing money…then my parents died. I was left alone with nothing but a small bank account, my bike and a few personal items. In their wills, I was left everything, but…It's all at the house. I don't want to go back there, so I got this place instead."

Roxas shifted slightly on the wall surrounding the perimeter of the roof.

"It sounds like you're trying to punish yourself…" The blond said, looking over to the redhead.

"No…Just bad memories. Besides…" Axel said, flashing a smirk. "…this is where you are."

Light winds of the night passed over the rooftop, pushing the hair of both teens wth it.

"Roxas?"

"Yes Axel?"

"I never asked…when's your birthday?"

The light of day was slowly creeping into the sky, turning the purple of night into royal blue of the way to dawn. The two teens still stood on the roof, having been there from sundown.

"Next week actually." Roxas replied, flicking a stone off the roof.

"What?! Why didn't you tell me?" Axel exclaimed.

"You never asked."

"Oh, ha-ha. Very _witty_."

"Well since you asked a question, I get to ask one. How come you have no body hair?"

Axel did a double take on Roxas.

"You _noticed_?"

Roxas nodded.

"Well…I guess its genetics. I've never really had any. I could ask you the same question, Roxie." Axel said, a wolfish grin spreading across his lips. Roxas blushed a deep shade of red.

"Well….I used to be an avid swimmer and…old habbits…"

Axel nodded, not in approval (although he did) but in acceptance of the plans and schemes forming in his head with that information. Let it never be said that Axel wasn't evil in his ways, at least a little bit.

"We should probably go get some sleep." Roxas said, turning to Axel as the sun rose in the sky.

"Probably." The older teen replied. Roxas moved closer to his lanky form. His feelings for Axel had done nothing but grown in the weeks, and now desire was setting it, especially since he'd seen Axel getting out of the shower that morning. Axel didn't notice the blond move close to his side, or the look of want on Roxas' young face. Roxas moved behind Axel and slid his arms around the taller males slim waist, pressing his hands against the slightly defined muscles that lay under the skin. To Roxas, the shirt Axel wore was nothing but a hindrance. Axel defiantly noticed the small hands creeping up his front, and had to suppress a shudder. He felt Roxas' head on his back, listening to his heart beat; a beat that was rising in tempo. Roxas' fingers traced patterns over Axel's chest.

"Work out much?" Roxas sighed from Axel's back.

"I try." Axel replied.

"That's the thing I never liked with girls…they got all offended if you laid one finger on them. Not like you…"

Axel smiled. "Officially coming out then Roxas?"

Roxas stopped his pattern making and turned Axel round by the waist.

"For you, yeah. I don't think I'd feel this way about a girl…they just confuse me too much."

Axel placed his hands on the smaller boy's waist, having nowhere else to really put them. Roxas took this as a good sign, and pulled himself against the redhead.

'_Oh look Axel…things are getting a little deeper…_'

'Piss off…'

'_Can't mate…I'm in your head._'

'Who the hell are you, Jack Sparrow?'

'_Look Axel…Roxie aint gonna wait forever…c'mon, you can see the need in his eyes…he's just dying for you to fill his…'_

'Enough! That's enough from you! Roxas is better than that…I'd never hurt him.'

'_Oh come on Axel…you know you're just itching to pound his little ass into the mattress…hearing his cries, his moans…hearing our name from his lips…_'

'Shut. The. Hell. Up.'

'_Don't deny it._'

'…Why are you even here? I didn't make you.'

'_Still dense? Try and work it out._'

'…You only appeared after Xemnas. You where never there before so…it's his fault. But this isn't about Xemnas any more is it?'

'_What?_'

'I think…You know we'll never go back to Xemnas…you know it's all for Roxas now…and you don't like that, do you?'

'_Oh bravo Axel, bravo._'

'Get out of my mind. Roxas is good for me, and I don't intend on letting him go. He'll wait…I know he will.'

------

As Axel and Roxas got closer and closer on the rooftop, across town, another couple where getting some 'alone time'.

"Zexion?" Demyx asked his boyfriend. Zexion looked up from the big book he had been reading.

"Yes?" he replied, expectantly.

Demyx had been lying at his boyfriend's feet, on his large double bed. Zexions house was much like its owner; quiet, knowing and slightly dark. Demyx often wondered what attracted him to the quiet teen, but more often than that he wondered what attracted the younger teen to him.

"I was just thinking…Axel and Roxas seem to be getting really close."

Zexion flipped a page.

"Observant…" he noted. Demyx have his leg a shove.

"I'm not blind you know."

"Sometimes I wonder…"

"And just what does that mean?" Demyx pouted. Zexion put down his book.

"You're dating _me_ Demyx. I think you'd _have_ to be blind to date me."

"You make no sense Zex'. You're not ugly, you're not unkind…"

"I'm small, scrawny, silent, cold and emo-ish." Zexion finished the sentence for his boyfriend.

"Zexion…did it ever occur to you that maybe that's why I love you? Well…the small silent emo part. You're not cold…well, not to me. Distant sometimes, but not cold."

Zexion frowned a little, and Demyx knew why.

"Is it so bad to hear me say it? Zexion…when are you gonna' come to terms with the fact that someone in this world is in love with you?"

"…Roxas and Axel are good for each other. I think Axel is starting to feel again, towards Roxas, and Roxas is defiantly having strong feelings for Axel. Axel's mortal soul is balanced on this, he could loose everything. On the other side of the coin, he could gain the world."

Demyx looked slightly annoyed. Zexion always changed the subject when it came to feelings people had for him. Demyx was about to get up, but Zexion did something he'd never done before; he reached out for Demyx. The blond musician, slightly bewildered, took Zexions hand. The paler teen pulled his boyfriend towards him, until he lay beside him. He kissed his boyfriend softly, stroking the musician's cheek.

"I know you love me Demyx; you tell me every day. I just think I love you more."

Demyx reached over and flicked off the light on the nightstand. The room was plunged into darkness. Demyx usually was afraid of the dark, but when his boyfriends cool, thin lips met his, met his neck and jaw-line, then Demyx feared nothing.

------

The apartment was quiet. The only sound was the small duet of light breathing that came from the master bedroom where, on the double bed, Axel and Roxas lay, the larger curled around the smaller. The day was in full swing but the two teens lay in blissful oblivion. Well, one of them was. Axel's eye flicked open to observe the younger teen curled against his chest.

'He's so beautiful when he's asleep.' He thought, stroking his hand over Roxas' arm. 'So innocent and sweet. What in the world could he see in me?'

Roxas stirred in his arms, one of his own snaking over Axels hip.

'It must be something I don't see…I must be mad to deny him. I just don't know…can I do this again?'

Roxas stirred again, lifting his face from Axels chest and rolling back slightly.

'I could do this…throw caution to the wind…set sail…fuck it.'

Before his resolve diminished, Axel leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against the younger teens. They where soft and inviting, almost like a girls, but without the off-putting lipstick or gloss.

'I should probably let him know…I don't want anybody but him.'

Roxas awoke alone. The bed felt strangely empty without Axel's large form beside him. It was late in the afternoon, too late to go out and do anything. Roxas got up and padded into the living room in his shorts. Axel was on the couch, hunched over his guitar. He slowly picked away at notes, pausing to write them on a tab sheet before moving on or going back to change something.

"Hay Axel…"

The redhead looked up from his notes and grinned.

"Roxas…you sleep okay?"

"Yeah I guess…thought you'd be there when I woke up but…I guess not."

"Sorry Rox', I had this idea and needed to get it down." Axel said, pointing at the tab sheet.

"What is it?" Roxas asked, looking over Axels shoulder at the sheet. "Hold on…I thought Fall Out Boy did that track…"

"They do. But I'm doing it better."

Roxas laughed, slumping down on an armchair. "Not to hard to do then?"

"Hay listen Rox'…Do you wanna' go out tonight?"

Roxas paused to think.

"Where to?"

"Well, there's a club in the city I go to sometimes. It's a nice place."

"Yeah…Yeah, okay." Roxas said, nodding. Axel turned away to hide his face. He didn't intend on taking Roxas to a club…at least, not right away.

------

"Axel…I thought we where going to a club."

The redhead's eyes flicked towards his blonde haired companion.

"We are…just not yet."

Roxas was having a hard time understanding Axel. As far as he knew, one didn't get dressed up to the nines to go to a club. That was until Roxas saw where Axel was leading him.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!"

Axel held the door open or him with a smile.

"Welcome to Twilight, Roxas."

Roxas nearly stopped breathing. Twilight Restaurant; the most expensive and selective establishment in the country. The place was reserved for millionaires, celebrities, rock-stars…the only way to get in was to be a _someone_.

Sat at the table, with its silverware and silk cloth, Roxas couldn't help but look around nervously. He was sat in the most expensive restaurant there was, with famous people he recognised eating around him, while Axel calmly went through the menu.

"Axel?" Roxas whispered across the table. Axel looked up from his menu.

"What's up Rox'? You look nervous."

"Axel…how the hell did you get us in here? This place is…it's so _expensive_…"

Axel laughed softly, setting down the menu in his hand.

"I told you my family used to be worth something…they left me quite a bank account to attend to when they died. Trust me…money isn't an issue, and besides, I know the head chef."

Roxas leaned over the table slightly, looking like he needed answers to questions he never asked.

"Why Axel? Why go to all the trouble? I thought we where just going clubbing…"

"Roxas…living with you for the past months has made me realise something. Before you arrived, I spent my time chasing a phantom of my imagination. I…Xemnas was my first boyfriend and I thought at the time that I truly loved him. Well, obviously that's not the case, which goes to show that even _I_ can make a mistake." Axel grinned, cocky as ever. "I was alone…self pitying and so full of sorrow. Then you fell into my life in the middle of a rainstorm, and everything changed. I'll be honest with you Rox'…without you around I was safe…I could have lived on. But now…Rox', I just can't do it any more."

Roxas looked suddenly scared. Axel's words brought with them a sense of loss.

"Roxas…I can't live without you."

Roxas looked suddenly surprised.

"I've moved on from what I used to be, from what tied me down and kept me from you. I want to be with you Roxas. I want to be able to hold you and look at you and touch you in a way no other man can. Anything you ask of me, I will happily give. I'm handing you my life Roxas, and it's yours…if you want it."

Axel slipped something out of his pocket and slid a small, wrapped object across the table. With shaking hands, Roxas pulled open the ribbon and the tissue fell away, revealing a black and white, chequered wrist band.

"I thought a gold ring might be a bit much so…" Axel mumbled as Roxas stared at the gift.

A strange silence descended on the two teens. Axel waited on tenterhooks for Roxas' response. In his mind scenes of Roxas accepting and declining Axel's offer raced, making the redhead feel slightly ill. His heart nearly stopped when blue eyes met his own.

"Axel…can we go?" Roxas asked with an air of urgency.

"Go...why?"

Roxas looked at the wrist band on the table. He slipped it on.

"I'm sure the food is great here…but I'd rather spend the night alone…in my boyfriend's arms."

"Roxas…does that mean…"

Roxas took Axel's hand in his own, threading his fingers through Axel's.

"Axel…the only life I want is one with you."

Axel thought for a second before folding his napkin and standing.

"Roxas…let' go home."

* * *

A/N: Oh my dear lord this chapter too forever...damn Axel and Rox' for being do slow...Yes, i've sarted using spacers...hope it help you understand the plot beter! More to

come so...please, review, even if you have dont already. I want to hear ANYTHING you have to say. Love yall, and more to come (about another 30 chapters...based on the song anyways...) Laters!!!


	6. Will This Be Forever?

Will This Be Forever?

Axel awoke beside his blond haired love with nothing but pure joy in his heart. The previous night Axel had given himself entirely to Roxas, body and mind, much to the disgust of his neighbours. The two teens had become so caught up in their hours of passion that they hardly heard the bangs on the sides, ceiling and floor, the shouts of anger and, in one case, encouragement. The night had held host to uniting of two souls, but for present, the morning held host to the awakening of two lovers.

"Axe?"

"What's up babe?"

"Was that real?"

"Jeez…I hope so."

"Was that…was that your…"

"My first time as Uke, yeah. You?"

"…First time all together."

"Wow…you must be frigging gifted."

"Was I good?"

Axel slid his arm around the naked form of his boyfriend and pulled him against his own skin.

"You have _no_ idea."

"What's it like? Being…you now…"

"Maybe you'll find out one day."

"You know…I'm still kinda' turned on…"

Axel grinned. "I noticed."

Indeed, the evidence to attest to such a statement had been poking Axel in the thigh for the past hour.

"What time is it Axe'?"

"Noon…too late to do anything with the morning…"

Roxas rolled over, spooning into his boyfriend, and rubbed against the bare skin at his back. Axel almost purred in pleasure.

"Too early to call it evening…we still have a few hours to kill…" Roxas said, stroking Axel's hair with his free hand. His other hand was busy holding Axel's own against his stomach.

"You sure babe?" Axel asked, nipping at Roxas' neck. Roxas pushed Axels hand down his body. Down until…

-----

"Holy mother of Christ…"

"Yeah…"

"That was…"

"Yeah…"

"…fucking…"

"I know…"

"Damn you're good…"

"Speak for yourself babe…_Jeez_…"

"Man…now I know how I like it. Axe, hun'…you're amazing."

"And something else…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm knackered…"

------

The days and weeks that followed the evening at the Twilight where quite simply the happiest of Axel's life. Any time not with Roxas was time wasted to Axel, so the two became inseparable. One was never without the other, regardless of time, place or occasion. The spare bedroom at Axel's apartment once again became a store room, the bed a resting area for naught but dust. The two now slept together, content in each others arms, as the night passed and daylight broke. The holidays where only just beginning, much like their new lives.

"Zexion, will you _please_ control your boyfriend? He's making my head hurt."

"Not my problem Axel. You're the one who fed him s much sugar."

It was picnic weather, and as such, people where out picnicking. Axel, Roxas, Zexion, Demyx, Saix, Namine and Kairi where all spread out under a tree in the park, a little hamper of snacks open and a cooler box of drinks on hand. Roxas even got Sora and Riku to come.

"Look, he stole my shoe for god's sake." Axel complained to the quiet thinker.

"But it _likes_ me Axel!" The hyper teen yelled from somewhere above the redhead.

"And now he's climbed the damn tree!" Axel went on. Zexion sighed, marked the page in his book and stood. Giving the tree a quick look over, Zexion took a step back before launching himself at the trunk, scaling it like an insect until he crawled amongst the branches. Axel's jaw dropped. Not at the fact that he could climb a tree, but his sheer speed and movement. It was like watching a spider. Zexion moved over to Demyx, who hung from a branch with the shoe in his mouth, and balanced above his boyfriend.

"It will hurt if you fall from there." Zexion said. Demyx beamed up at him with a mouth full of Converse.

"Muh muff mike a caa mechion…" The blonde said through the shoe. Zexion too the item from his mouth and dropped it to a very grateful Axel.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said: 'You look like a cat Zexion'…he-he, Zexion the Emo-Cat." Demyx giggled.

"So…how are things?" Roxas asked his brother. Sora had come along without hesitation, but Riku had been reluctant. There was still friction between the silver haired teen and Axel.

"They're okay I guess…Mom and Dad are fine, Riku and I…well, you know. Same as ever. What about you?"

Roxas looked over at his boyfriend.

"Things are better than they ever where…"

"So…you and Axel are…"

"Yeah…it's like a dream."

Sora nodded, searching for his own boyfriend. Riku was off out a way beside another tree, sat beneath it, scowling. The direction of his gaze was fixed on Axel.

"What's with Riku's fascination with Axel?" Roxas pondered out loud.

"He's probably still angry with Axel for threatening to put his head through an amplifier." Sora said, watching his boyfriend.

"Axel did _what?_"

"Well…I asked Riku to talk to Axel about you and make sure he was treating you okay…it turns out they had a little skirmish in an equipment room and…Axel told Riku that if he didn't let him go he'd put his head through an amp…"

Roxas laughed.

"No offence bro…but I'd pay to see that…the threat part I mean."

"Yeah…me too."

Although the day was hot and sunny, like all good things, it was slowly coming to an end, dispite being only three in the afternoon.

"Look Roxas…There's something I have to tell you." Sora said, fidgeting nervously.

"Well go for it bro."

"…You know I'll always be your brother right? I'll always love you and be there for you…even Riku will…you know that right?"

"Yeah I know that…why?"

Sora fidgeted even more.

"I was talking to dad the other day…he…well Mom disagreed but Dad…"

"Spit it out man…you're making it sound like one of them has died…" Roxas laughed.

"Rox'…Dad said that…he doesn't want you home. He said that you'd obviously found somewhere you'd rather be so…basically he doesn't want to see you. Ever."

Roxas stood, too numb to say anything, while it all sunk in. Eventually his eyes said what his mouth could not. They filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry Rox'." Sora said, pulling his brother into an embrace, his own eyes watery.

Moments passed, but such things felt like hours to the small blond. His family had just about disowned him. Roxas pulled away from his brother.

"I…I gotta' go." And with that he sprinted off across the park. Axel saw and gave chase. Sora looked on with a slowly breaking heart. His brother was too young to be hit with such burdens, but there he stood, laying it onto him.

A crack of thunder rolled across the summer sky, and rain poured from the dark clouds that snuck in unnoticed.

-----

The apartment was empty. It felt cold and desolate; devoid of life or that which made it a home. A cold drought came from under the door, making a lone teen hug his knees closer and rake a hand through his long red hair.

"C'mon Rox…where are you?"

Roxas had left Axel in his dust as he sprinted from the park. Since then the older teen had seen neither hide nor hair of his blond boyfriend.

"Jeez Sora…what did you say to him?" The redhead pondered out loud. His guitar lay at the side of the couch, the amp buzzing softly. Axel picked up the Les Paul and strummed softly. Twin Humbuckers always made a difference in Axel's opinion. With a smile, he reached for his lyric book.

Rain. It always rained at times when things couldn't get any worse. To Roxas, the rain was comforting. Somehow, in an inane Emo way, the rain stopped the people he passed on the street noticing his tears. Roxas leaned over the railing, watching the traffic so far below streak by, headlights leaving the faint trail that they do on rainy nights. Axel hadn't come for him, as Roxas expected. He was grateful; Axel was giving him his space. There would be time for snuggles and soft words later, but the wound hat to be fully opened before it could be allowed to heal.

Roxas had though about jumping. In the minutes after getting to the bridge, the motorway so far below looked very inviting. In the end the thoughts where washed away by the storm. His anchor, the thing that kept him tied to the living world, was waiting for him, back at his home. The only place that had ever felt like home; the small apartment on the edge of town. Roxas thought on how his life had changed in the past months. He had arrived in a new city with no friends, just family. He had enrolled at a college. That very day, he had been kicked out of his house after an argument, and saved from a harsh, cold night alone by someone he hardly knew. The older teen's insistence that Roxas should go with him no doubt saved him in some way. In a month or so, Roxas went from an angry, straight teen, to being relaxed, even laughing, and falling for the redhead with whom he stayed. In the few times Roxas had been in the arms of a girl, he had never found the comfort that he found with Axel. He found it strange how people changed.

And then it hit him, like a brick to his subdued mind. Roxas was running from the bridge, no longer sad, but elated. He had a home, he had a family. Sure only one of them was related by blood, but what did that matter? He had all the love and family he needed right in front of him. Roxas sprinted with all his worth for his home. The tall building loomed up from the dark sky like a beacon of happiness for the blond. He raced up the stairs; the lift was simply too slow, and hurled down the corridor. The door was there, solid and true. Panting and gasping for breath, Roxas crept into the apartment.

Axel had tried his hardest to stay awake. He'd drunk all the coffee he could stand, he'd written five pieces of music, he'd even tried to tape his eyes open. Eventually he simple passed out on the couch. Counting sheep really did put you to sleep. So when Roxas crept up beside him, Axel simply didn't notice. He was asleep after all.

Roxas swept his eyes over the sleeping form of the older teen he loved so much. Axel looked so peaceful when he was asleep. Roxas pushed a stray lock of red hair from the teens face, smiling. The action was enough to wake the sleeping redhead. Axel's eyes opened and focused on Roxas. Axel smiled, seeing his boyfriend above him

"What time do you call this?" Axel asked with faint sarcasm.

"Late…" Roxas whispered back.

"It's way past your bedtime." The redhead pointed out.

"Then maybe…you should come tuck me in."

Axel rose from the couch and followed Roxas to the main bedroom. They fell together onto the bed and curled up together.

"Thanks for not following me." Roxas said into the dark room. The breath of Axel was light and cool across his cheeks.

"I knew you'd come home…you're not the type to jump off a bridge and not say goodbye."

Roxas smiled. Axel knew, of course. Axel always knew.

"You think you know me so well…" Roxas teased, pressing his forehead to the older teens.

"Well, yeah, actually." Came the cocky response.

Roxas sighed, enjoying the moment. Axel sighed, mimicking Roxas. Roxas chuckled at Axel.

"I like this…" Roxas said, moving to feel the older teen beside him.

"What, dark rooms?"

"No…I mean this. Us. Alone. Together…I don't need anyone else but you Axel."

Axel brushed his lips against Roxas'.

"Don't be too dependent Rox'."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Roxas demanded.

"I might not be here when you wake up. This could all be a dream."

"Well if it is…" Roxas said, pulling the taller teen to him. "…then I don't want to wake up."

"Me neither…"

"Hay Axe'?"

"Mm-hm?"

"Will thing always be like this?"

"You mean, will this be forever?"

"Yeah…"

Roxas waited for a reply, but Axel had fallen asleep. Smiling to himself, Roxas closed his eyes and fell into oblivion himself.

After a while had passed, and the blond was sound asleep, one of Axel's emerald eyes opened. He had been awake the whole time…

"I'll still be here, even when you wake up. I promise."

…just to get the last say in the matter.

* * *

A/N: This chapter was a compleate proverbial B!TCH to get out...but I did it. Sorry if it's crappy, and sorry it's been so long, but man oh man it took some work to thrash this one out.(No Pun...)

So, it looks like things are all good with our little love-birds. Appart from Rox being kicked out of his home. Dont fret, all will be explained soon...and my spanner is itching to get put into the works.

As always, R&R...I simply love hearing from you guys, it really makes my day, AND it makes me want to write more.

All of the previous chapters have been spell checked and pollished now so...yeah. Tell your friends. More to come!!!!


	7. I'd Do Anything For A Smile

I'd Do Anything For a Smile.

"God damn it Axel, you said you where going to stop!"

Axel cringed. Roxas had caught him smoking on the roof again, and the blonds persistent moaning about the matter was starting to irritate the redhead. Axel flicked the butt over the edge.

"I was." Axel responded, looking out at the skyline.

"You call _that_ stopping?" Roxas said, raising an unseen eyebrow.

"Don't raise your eyebrow at me." Axel muttered. He knew the blond too well.

"Well what do you expect Axel? You promised you'd quit months ago, but here you are, puffing away."

"It's…it's not as simple as that." Axel muttered, wishing, not for the first time, that Roxas would just go away.

"Sure it is. You just _stop_." The blond persisted.

"Rox'…please. Just stop getting at me alright?"

Axel had to admit, the past month or so with Roxas had been, to put it nicely, slightly irritating. The blonde simply refused to leave Axel alone, constantly pestering him about the most trivial things. It seemed sharing a bed and a home wasn't enough for Roxas when it came to the fiery redhead. It almost made him want to scream; he never got any alone time, any time to think without disruption. The blond was always there, in his face, yapping about one thing or another. It made his blood boil.

The days of summer where still in full swing, and Axel was grateful. He never liked snow or cold in general. Warmth, and plenty of it, that was the life for him. Axel's annoyance with Roxas' persistent omnipresence was only overshadowed by Axel's need to get out and do things. Every day, Axel would pull Roxas along (or sometimes vice versa) to town to do something or another. Movies, fares, bowling, paint-balling, go-kart racing…the list went on. They'd spend all day doing something fun and then return home for the nigh, only to tire themselves out with a little more 'fun'. Axel would admit to anyone; he couldn't get enough of the younger teens body, all five foot something of creamy smooth skin, as cool as could be despite the hot nights. Axel would often think he'd fallen into heaven, but then, or course, Roxas would open his mouth and…

"Well is it so bad for me to want my boyfriend to stop smoking?"

'_Yap yap yap…'_ Axel though to himself.

"No, it's not, but just let me do it in my own time, okay?"

Roxas had moved closer and, in an interesting turn or mind, wrapped his arms around Axel's waist. Once again the sun was setting, and once again Axle found himself with his boyfriend on the roof.

"Okay…I just hate it is all…" the blond murmured into Axles back.

-----

Across town, in a dark bedroom, bathed in the soft flicker of candlelight, Demyx and Zexion lay on a large bed. Zexion played with his boyfriends hair while Demyx flicked through the pages of a book. Usually it was Zexion doing the reading, but Demyx had insisted on reading one of the smaller teen's books.

The silence, as complete and consuming as it was, ended abruptly.

"Demyx?"

"Yeah Zexion?" the blonde musician looked up from the book.

"Demyx…Why do you love me?"

Demyx sighed.

"Not this again Zex…you _know_ why, and I'm not going to go through it again."

"Okay…You know, I love you to."

"Is that why my belt just got launched across the room?"

"I guess it is…"

Further across town, but not too far from the world, two people where lying naked on a bed, moonlight spilling across their forms. Not for the first time, those two people had spent the past hours indulging in every form of physical pleasure together.

Nobody knew about their intimate relationship, and they intended to make sure their parents remained as oblivious as ever. Their closest friends however…both had decided that they deserved to know. In the moonlight, colours of red and yellow mixed on a canvas of white, cream and tan.

------

"Axel…not again."

"What? It's a good movie."

Back rows of cinemas where the best locations for make out sessions, everyone knew. It's where Roxas had headed as soon as they entered the dark screen room, but only to have Axel pull him into a chair half way up, the 'best viewing' area. Roxas' pout was hilarious to the redhead.

"We _always_ sit on the back row. _Always_ Axel…"

"I want to watch the movie Rox'…"

"Wouldn't you rather watch me?

"Movie time now Rox'. Sexy time later, okay?"

"But Axel…I really want to…"

"Shh…it's starting."

The room went dark.

The movie was good, but what made it better happened about half way through. Roxas, who had grown tired of the movie, decided to play with his boyfriend. By the time the movie finished, Roxas had an aching jaw and Axel didn't know if he could stand up. One of the reasons was very evident to him.

"Axe'…we have to go now." Roxas said, pulling at his boyfriends arm.

"Rox'…I can' stand up yet."

"Why not?"

"Because, thanks to you, my tent is pitched, and it isn't going away any time soon."

Roxas looked at the redheads trousers.

"Oh…"

"Yeah…"

"Again?"

"Again."

------

Axel was no stranger to flirting, both in the doing of and being the receiver of. Many a girl (and guy) often tried their luck with the red headed teen, either batting their eyelashes or getting closer to him than was strictly necessary. The was a time when he would have happily scooped up each and every one of the hopefuls and bedded them all. Axel liked to think back to these times when girls where waiting at his _door_ for a chance to have him, when he could make a girls body do strange and embarrassing things just with a smirk. Of course, he still could. Girls where still drooling over him. But now, as he strolled into the nightclub, the girls who drooled became the girls who fainted.

Roxas had allowed Axel to take him shopping, and the result was most appealing it seemed to parties on both side of the gender divide. Roxas thought it was a bit much, but Axel had insisted on the clothes he purchased for the blonde. So Roxas stood, in his black stitched white leather chaps, the tight black vest with a rip across the stomach, his black and white wristband and, oh yes…steel heeled boots from Mexico. Roxas drew the line at lip-gloss, but Axel talked him into wearing the leather chaps _very_ low on his hips. Roxas had a suspicion that Axel bought the size smaller than Roxas for that very reason.

Axel himself stood happily in his black cotton trousers, single buttoned white shirt and black leather dinner shoes.

"How come I have to wear all this and you get away with a simple shirt and trousers thing?" Roxas asked as they entered the club.

"Rox', I have bright red hair." Axel said with a mock sigh.

So it was that as the two teens entered the club that several members of the opposite sex became weak in the knees and flushed in the face. Even more so when Axel steered Roxas over to the bar.

"Bartender, two 'Shutterbugs' when you have a moment." Axel said to the man behind the bar. The man nodded and pulled two glass lab tubes with corks from under the bar. Axel paid on a tab.

"What are these?" Roxas asked, holding up the tube of clear liquid.

"Latest thing Rox'. Kind of like Absinth, but much more potent. More importantly, you get the high of alcohol, but no hangover. Cheers…" Axel said, popping the cork on his own and downing the liquid. Roxas shrugged and followed suit. His eyes popped open as the liquid his it stomach and the effects kicked in.

"Oh my _God_…" Roxas breathed, turning to Axel. "Do you know what it's time for? A sexy party!"

And with that, Roxas grabbed Axel and dragged him into the crowd of dancers.

The hour was early, and Roxas was having the time of his life. As his energy left him, he sat at the bar and watched Axel dance, sipping at a lime and soda. His mind wandered, but his eyes remained on Axel. After a while, his eyes noticed something else. Someone was dancing with Axel. Roxas thought nothing of it at the time, but then he noticed something else. The girl wasn't dancing _with_ Axel, she was dancing _against_ him, rubbing herself against as she moved. What made Roxas almost drop his glass was Axel's response. His hand where on her, against her, pressing, touching, caressing.

It made Roxas' blood boil.

He stood up, with fire in his eyes, and stormed over to the dance floor.

"Excuse me, but could you get your slimy hands off my _boyfriend_?"

The girl turned round to be faced with a very ticked off teen, arms folded and looking expectant.

"Rox', what up?" Axel started, looking from his boyfriend to his dance partner.

"Her time." Said Roxas, grabbing the girl and yanking her forcefully from the redhead.

"_Hay_! Get off!" The girl squealed, trying to slap Roxas away.

"The redhead is _mine,_ bitch." Roxas said, pulling the girl well away from the dance floor to a dark corner of the club. Roxas started to walk away when the girl called out.

"Well you can have him, you disgusting _fag_!"

As calm as you like, Roxas turned and eyed the girl, or more specifically, her dress. It was white. Roxas grabbed a nearby glass of wine. He took a sip and smiled before throwing the wine at the girl. The _red_ wine.

Axel was rooted to the spot where Roxas had left him, his dance partner being pulled across the room. Since when had Roxas been so protective? He found out when Roxas walked back over, grabbed Axels arm and pulled him from the club and out into the street with nothing but a quick "We're leaving…"

"Roxas, dude…what was all that about?" Axel asked as he walked beside the pissed off blond.

"Oh, I have a habit of doing that when sleazy skanks try to move in on my boyfriend." Roxas said calmly. Axel was in the midst of interpreting what he'd said when Roxas stopped, turned, and slapped him across the face.

"And I do _that_ when said boyfriend _lets_ sleazy skanks move in."

Axel, still shocked from the slap, had no choice but to laugh. The chuckle came out of him as he rubbed his cheek.

"Roxas…we where only dancing."

Roxas seemed to only get even madder.

"Oh, I'm sorry, _that_ was dancing? She was a slutty hooker using _you_ as a pole!"

"Rox', it was only a dance."

"I don't give a damn Axel! She had no right sliming up against you like that, and _you_ had no right letting her!" Roxas crossed his arms and pouted.

"Roxas…It was nothing okay? What do you expect me to do anyways? Dance alone?"

"YES!"

"Roxas…are you jelous?" Axel asked with a soft smile.

"Gee, does it show? Thanks for that, Captain Obvious."

Axel laughed as he pulled Roxas into a hug, although the blond kept his arms tightly crossed.

"Okay…for you Rox', I'll dance on my own."

The blond's arms relaxed a little. The moon had come out from behind the clouds.

"Even in a Conga?"

"Even in a Conga…I'll be a one man Conga line."

Roxas laughed a little, smiling up at his fiery headed boyfriend.

"Is there anything you _won't_ do?" Roxas asked as his arms slipped around Axel's waist.

"For you Rox', I'd do anything for a smile."

* * *

A/N: Okay, so it took forever, it's short by about 100 words, and it blows. I'll burn in hell, I know, but its getting really hard to chug out a plot on a whim...planning time I think.

To my reviewers, I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

And to everyone: REVIEW ME PLEASE!!!!

I actually get what people say about reviews, they truly lift my heart. If you do review, dont let it be a 'Its good, keep it up' thing. DETAILS! Rant at me about my greatness/crapness! And more importantly, give me ideas. This is YOUR story, done for YOU, so let me know what YOU want.

Love yall, more to come.


	8. Holding You 'Till Our Time Has Come

Holding You 'Till Our Time Has Come.

Zexion looked down at the mass of blond hair that slept beside him. The hour was late, and Demyx had been asleep for hours. Zexion, on the other hand, was wide awake. In his mind, one particular event played over and over. The day he went the way of the phoenix and died, only to be reborn from the ashes.

_------_

_Zexion combed his hair, brushed his teeth and slipped into the black suit. The black 'Rolls was waiting outside, engine humming softly in the rain. His mother, from behind her widow's veil, beckoned Zexion from his room, down to the waiting car. The car that rested in the grey rain, from a grey sky, with its grey leather interior._

_The coffin was black; black with silver furnishings. Inside the black box lay the corps of Zexion's father. Black umbrellas went up against the grey rain, and the priest muttered his holy prayers and blessings. Zexion stood in the rain, watching as the casket was lowered. He thought it odd that he didn't cry, more so that in a way, he felt happy for his late father. Surly he had moved on to a better place. Lightning scorched the sky, illuminating the grey with violet and blue._

_After the burial, everyone left for the will reading. Greedy relatives hoping to get their hands on some of Zexion's father's estate. Zexion sat as his fathers last wishes where brought to life. As greedy relatives left empty handed. As everything was left to him. Every last thing; every penny, every house, every business, every item in every warehouse. All of it. Zexion inherited everything, but for a small sum that went to his mother. Sour glances where cast his way as he stood to sign the form that would solidify the transaction. Faces behind him, bland and grey._

_Zexion awoke with some difficulty. He disliked mornings, and this was no different. Since moving into Traverse Manor, Zexion's way of life had little changed. He dressed, ate and left for college, like any other teen. He caught the bus, preferring the public transport to the sports cars and drivers he had inherited._

_One saving grace in Zxion's life was Demyx. A blond musician with what seemed like boundless energy and a constant smile. At first, Zexion couldn't stand him, but the more Demyx talked, the more Zexion listened. It came to the point where Zexion looked forward to seeing Demyx, and Demyx was secretly in love with Zexion._

_Life went on, and one day, Zexion woke up as normal, to a day which would be far from normal. He arived at college and was customerially glomped by Demyx._

_"Hi Zex!" the blond yelled as he clung to the quieter boys back._

"_Demyx, I need to breathe."_

_The hyperactive musician climbed down from his (oh so secret) crush's back, a beaming smile on his face._

"_I can't help it if I'm happy to see you."_

"_Demyx, there's happy, and then there's you."_

"_Yeah, but you love me that way."_

_Zexion raised his eyebrow at the blonde._

"…"

"_Okay, sorry." the musician muttered, seeing that he had crossed the line._

"_We need to get to class." The stoic teen said, turing down the hall with a swish of his white denim floor-coat._

_In class, Demyx always sat beside Zexion. No one would suspect one of the two friends did it so he could be that close to the other with good reason. The 'accidental' brush of leg against leg, or the way Demyx placed his hand on Zexion's knee when he leant under the table to grab his bag; all means to the blonds end._

_Zexion simply didn't notice. He didn't notice the blonds little glances, the little flick of the eyes that so commonly occurred._

_At lunch, Zexion walked the short distance to the small coffee shop. It was a small, dusty place, often overlooked, in favour of the bright, garish coffee corporations. Zexion would order a simple black coffee, a toasted bagel and then set himself in his favourite chair. It looked out onto the street below, through the large old window. The leather chair was his happy place. He's pull an old book from his bag and read, the book itself would be leather bound, the pages yellowed and cracked. Zexion would read for the hour, pausing now and then to glance out of the window at the masses of people that walked on by, oblivious to his existence. When it rained, the water would patter lightly on the window. Zexion found it calming, the sound of the rain._

_Back in college after the hour was up, and Zexion faced the barrage of questions that cam from Demyx._

"_Where did you go?" the blond would ask with the slightest pout, probably upset that Zexion didn't take him along._

"_Just out." Zexion replied, brushing his hair out of his face._

"_Yeah, but where too?"_

"_Just out. Now, don't we have a deadline today?" Zexion said with an air of finality. Demyx fell silent and nodded. Demyx was quiet for the rest of the day. In fact, he didn't speak at all, not until the end of last lesson._

_"Zexion…don't you only live like…a few miles away?" Demyx asked in a quiet voice._

"_Yes, I guess. Why?"_

"_I just wondered. Why don't you walk?"_

"_I don't know. I just take the buss, since it's there."_

_The two teens walked the short distance to the bus stop, silence falling between them. Zexion felt that something was amiss; Demyx was too quiet._

"_Zexion…can I walk you home?" Demyx asked. Zexion looked the blond musician over. He was nervous about something; his hands where clenched and his eyes anywhere but on Zexion. Zexion's buss stopped at the shelter and waited. Zexion looked from the buss to the nervous teen before him._

"_Sure." He said. The buss collected its passengers and drove off. Demyx smiled weakly and followed Zexion down the road._

_Rain began to fall from the darkening sky as the two friends slowly walked out of the main city and into the suburbs. The silence that fell between them was too much for Zexion to take, so rather than let it be, he spoke up._

"_Demyx, is there something wrong? You're acting strange."_

"_Am I?" Demyx responded, sounding detached and distant._

"_Yes. You're quiet and nervous. Something is bothering you."_

_Demyx kept his eyes on the ground._

"_Sometimes I get the feeling that you don't really want me around." Demyx said quietly. Traffic on the roads sent waves from the puddles over the pavement._

"_What gave you that impression?" Zexion said, frowning._

"_Well…just, the way you talk to me sometimes, and like when you disappear without telling me where you're going and, it's like it wouldn't faze you if I didn't show up for college or even if I dint talk to you at all"_

_Zexion sighed to himself. He realised what the blond was talking about._

"_You're still mad at me for what happened after lunch?"_

"_Oh, no…" Demyx said, shaking his wet hair. "I'm not mad…hell, I'm never mad at you, but…I just get the feeling that I'm just a nuisance to you."_

_The teens rounded the corner of a street which led out of the suburbs and out towards the larger, more expensive houses._

"_Demyx, you're not a nuisance to me okay? I don't even understand how you got that into your head." Zexion said, looking over at the other teen._

"_It just feels that way sometimes."_

"_And I'm guessing that it feels like that now? With you still being quiet and all."_

_Demyx nodded._

_They reached the large front door of Zexions manor. The rain had turned the streets into rivers and the air to a blurred haze._

"_Look, Demyx…I'm sorry if I sound distant and uncaring. I don't mean to, it's just…well, my upbringing I guess. You do mean a lot to me…you're the only friend I have."_

_Demyx sighed, pushing his wet hair out of his face._

"_Thanks Zex'…It's just…hell, I don't even know any more." The musician said, smiling a little. Zexion opened the door to his home._

"_Come on in, the rains pretty bad."_

_Demyx shook his had a little._

"_Thanks, but I better be getting home…see you tomorrow?"_

"_Sure."_

_Demyx turned from the warm house and walked off down the drenched driveway._

_Zexion hung up his bag and coat, kicked off his shoes and shook the rain from his hair. _

"_Mum? I'm home!"_

_The house was silent. It was the maid's day off, and the house, for all intents and purposes, was empty. Zexion padded across to the kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water. When he closed it, he noticed something was pinned to the door. A note, or a letter. A letter with Zexions name on the front. He tore it off and opened it, his eyes tracing the lines. In the silent house, a glass bottle smashed against the cold floor._

_Demyx walked slowly. He wasn't really in any rush to get home anyway, and he needed time to think. He knew in his heart that he loved Zexion. He always knew he was gay, and it didn't bother him. To him, Zexion was just perfect, like his dreams made real. He longed for his friend to look at him in the same light, but it was becoming increasingly evident that Zexion wasn't interested. Demyx felt sad; sad that his feelings would be confined to unnoticed glances or 'accidental' brushes of hands. Demyx knew he could be good for Zexion, he knew that he could make the boy happy…he just didn't want to be wrong. Demyx looked up at the display at the bus stop. The rain had really been coming down hard. So hard that…_

'_**All services cancelled due to severe weather.'**_

_Demyx sighed. The only option was back down the road, towards the root of his sorrow._

_Zexion tried to compose himself, he tried not to scream. He tried to stay standing, but his knees gave way._

_'Dear Zexion._

_I'm so sorry you had to find out like this. I'm sorry for everything. When you read this, I'll be far away, and I won't be coming back. It was hard enough when your Dad died, but when I see him in you every day…I can't stand it. I can't stand to look at you, because you remind me so much of him, and it hurts more than anything. I do love you Zexion, don't ever doubt that, but I can't stay with you. You have everything you could ever want, and you can buy anything that you don't have. I know you'll do fine without me around, I'm so proud of you. _

_It breaks my heart to do this to you Zexion, and I wont ask your forgiveness._

_I love you Zexion…that's why I had to leave._

_Mum.'_

_Zexion cried. It was to be expected, having been left by ones own mother. He curled up in a ball on the wet floor and cried like a child. He cried until his heart withered and cracked, until his angelic face became stained with tears. Eventually, the tears stopped, as did the cries, and a strange calm set upon the teen. With the letter scrunched in his hand, he slowly made his way into his fathers hunting room. The walls where adorned with pictures of hunts on horseback, in the countryside. Zexion eyed one thing in the room, the long object with the crafted inlayed design and custom bodywork. The item with the twin, gleaming barrels. _

_Needless to say, the walk back to Zexions was slightly more nerving for the blond teen than the walk away was. What would Zexion say when Demyx just showed up on his doorstep; especially after he had declined the first offer of shelter. Non-the-less, Demyx walked on until once again he was before the large wooden doors of the manor. The doors that where still slightly ajar. Demyx knocked and waited patiently. No one answered. Knocking again, a little harder, Demyx thought it odd that the door was still open. When not one answered, he pushed the door open slowly and entered the house. _

_Zexion took the letter in one hand, the shotgun in the other, and made for the roof. The old ramparts where Zexions little place to sit on nice days. His mother would bring him tall glasses of cold lemonade and chat happily with him. Now, the stone battlements where wet, grey and cold. Zexion had lost it all; his mother and father, his friends, and now his only friend were currently on his way home. Zexion was alone, cold and silent like the grave. It was this logic that led him to load the gun in his hands and rest his chin on the end of the barrel. He didn't hear the knocks at his door, nor the shouts of his name through the hallways. He only saw the rain._

_Demyx shouted for Zexion, he looked and searched high and low. He found his shoes, bag and coat, but no sign of their owner. In a room adorned with pictures, he found a small cardboard box containing shotgun shells, and a few shells strewn over the desk, like someone had just grabbed some and knocked the others aside. Demyx felt like a weight had settled itself on his heart; one did not simple leave ammunition lying around. He ran up the stairs, his heart racing in his chest. He didn't need to be told what Zexion was doing, he just knew. Somehow, it made sense. When Demyx found no place else to search, he thanked the Gods that Zexion had left just one more door open. The door leading up, to the ramparts._

_Demyx made his way up the stone steps and pushed open the last door. The door he had to grab to hold himself steady, to stop his knees giving way. Zexion had the gun at his chin, his thumb settling near the trigger. Without a second thought, Demyx sprinted forward, towards his friend. Zexion was pressing the trigger when Demyx, with a cry, grabbed the barrel and pulled it hard from under Zexion's chin. The gun went off with a colossal bang. Demyx had stopped his friends head being blown off, but he had pulled the gun towards himself. He realised, with a sickening grunt as his legs gave way, that the barrels had been pointing at him. Well near enough. His shirt sleeve had been blown open, and his left arm had been grazed by the blast. Only a graze, but skin and muscle both had been left burnt, and riddled with tiny pellets._

"_Demyx…" Zexion breathed as his friend slumped to the floor. Words failed him, seeing his friend sprawled on the floor, arm bleeding freely across the stone._

"_Zexion…hi."_

_Zexion looked around for help, but he remembered he was alone. A resolve set into his mind, Zexion tore off his shirt and wrapped it around the wound on his friend. Demyx cried out, but Zexion ignored it, though it tore at his already worn out heart. With the shirt tied, he lifted his friend in his arms and hurried down into the house._

_The ambulance was on its way. Demyx was lying on Zexion's bed, clutching his arm._

"_Demyx…what the hell are you doing here?" Zexion asked, looking down at his friend with a look of sadness and confusion._

"_Getting shot it seems…" The blond said, smiling weakly "I'd ask what you think you where doing but…its kind of obvious."_

_Zexion sat at the end of the bed, looking at the floor. He couldn't bare to see his friend in pain._

"_Why d'you do it Zex'? What hapened?" Demyx asked from the pillows. Zexion gripped the letter still in his hand._

"_My…mother left. She's gone…and she's not coming back. I've lost everyone. I just don't want to be alive anymore."_

_Zexion flinched as a pillow collided with the back of his head._

"_What about me Zexion! Did you think a bout _me_ before you decided to get all trigger happy?" Demyx yelled, although it hurt his head._

"_You'd…get over it. I don't think you'd miss me after a while."_

_Something harder than a pillow collided with Zexions head. The leather wallet hit the floor, and Zexion turned to se a very pissed off Demyx._

"_You're the most selfish bastard I've ever met Zexion. Don't assume to know what I'd do! That gun had two barrels Zex'. Don't think for one second that the other would still be live if I'd been a second too late!"_

_Zexion looked confused. He didn't quite understand what the blond ment. At the moment, voices came from the lobby. The paramedics. Zexion raced out to get them, leaving Demyx alone on the bed._

_The paramedics assessed the wound and decided that it wasn't life threatening. They cleaned and dressed the wound, pulling out little metal balls from the skin. They said a hospital visit wasn't needed. They where going to ask questions about the incident, but one of them saw the creased letter on the desk. One glance at its words quelled all suspicion of foul play, and no questions where asked. Zexion sat in the corner while the paramedics worked, watching his friend. He had been the cause of his pain, and it weighed on him heavily._

_The paramedics left, handing Zexion bandages and antiseptic fluid. When they where gone, Zexion dared to glance over at his friend. He placed he bundle of items down and sat beside his friend._

"_I'm so sorry Demyx…" he mumbled, again looking at the floor. He felt Demyx move, but didn't dare look around at him. Demyx sat up and wrapped his good arm around Zexions (still shirtless) form. _

"_I don't get you Zexion…it's not as if no one loves you…you're not alone, despite what you think." Demyx said, resting his head against Zexions back._

"…_I can't believe I did this to you." Zexion mumbled_

"_Zex', you could beat me senseless every day and I'd still come back the following morning." Demyx said against the smooth skin of Zexions back._

"_Why?" Zexion asked, frowning a little._

_Demyx pulled Zexion's head round by the chin softly and pressed his lips against the quiet teens. He pulled away, smiling a little._

"_That's why."_

_Zexion was shocked at first. He had just been kissed by his only friend, and what's more, the tingle that lingered on his lips was addictive. Zexion came to a clash of facts. He knew he wasn't gay, but then why did he have strong feelings for his friend? And not to mention his share of heated dreams involving the musician._

"_Demyx…why did you just kiss me?" Zexion asked, turning to face the blond finally._

"_Well…shit, this'll probably ruin everything…I love you Zexion." _

"_Platonically?"_

_Demyx shook his head._

"_No…I mean I'm in love with you...I have been for a long time."_

"_So…rather than just tell me, you figured you'd plant one on me and hope for the best?" Zexion asked, raising an eyebrow._

"_Yeah…that was the plan. I guess it wasn't the best plan ever…"_

_Zexion thought for a second, before coming to a mental decision. The one decision he would live to cherish._

"_Okay." He said simply. Demyx looked downcast, but this changed to confusion when Zexion pushed him down onto the bed and leaned over him._

"_What are you doing?" Demyx asked, looking a little bewildered._

"_Hoping your plan works." Zexion said, claiming the blond's lips with his own._

_Seconds felt like hours, and stars exploded before the eyes of the two friends. Breathlessly, Zexion pulled away._

"_Zex'…does this mean…I mean, do you...?"_

_Zexion nodded, running his hand over Demyx' neck and shoulder._

"_I guess it does…I love you Demyx."_

_Demyx looked as if he might cry, his eyes where watery._

"_Will you kiss me again?" the blond asked, gazing into his eyes of his friend, no, boyfriend. The kiss had pretty much sealed the deal._

"_Will you stay with me?" Zexion asked in turn. Demyx nodded his answer._

"_Okay." Zexion said, pulling the sheet of the bed over them._

------

Zexion ran his finger softly over the small patch of light scar tissue that the burns had left behind on his boyfriend. He slowly wrapped his arm around his beloved, pulling him close. The action woke the musician up.

"You're supposed to be asleep." Demyx said. "But I guess you're thinking about it again."

Zexion nodded. Demyx turned over in his arms to face him, softly kissing his jaw.

"It wasn't your time Zex, and there's nothing you can do about it now."

Zexion smiled to himself.

"Sure there is." He said, ghosting his lips over his boyfriends. "I can stay here…holding you 'till our time has come."

"I'd like that." Demyx said. Zexion traced his finger down Demyx' front, grinning with a sudden manic aura.

"I know what you'd like." He said as he pulled the blond close.

* * *

A/N: Oh my god...I love this chapter...I thought (and was asked for) a little backstory on the ZexDem issue so there you are. A little cliche but meh...and it was so easy to write, like a break from the RoxDem scene...If i get a good response on this I might write a seperate fic on it.

Anyways, hope you like. There's plenty more to come, and more couples to come out...as always, review me, flame me, just dont NOT write to me.

Love you all, reviewers and readers. Oh yeah...tell your friends!!!

Toodles.


	9. We Both Know The Day Will Come

We Both Know The Day Will Come.

"Axel…what do you mean, _'the bottle is empty'_?"

"Exactly that…it's empty."

"Well…we aren't doing it then."

"_What?!"_

"The bottle is empty, so we have _none_, therefore, you can forget about it. I'm in enough pain as it is!"

"Oh c'mon Rox', it won't hurt that much…"

"It freaking will."

"Oh god…why did we have to run out?"

"It's your fault for being to zealous with the stuff…now when we need some, we don't have any."

"Oh I know…we can use _this_!"

"Axel…no way!"

Axel had pulled out a bottle of vinegar.

Axel paced about, holding the empty bottle of antiseptic ointment. For everything Axel didn't have, he did have one well stocked medicine box. Every time Roxas cut or grazed himself, Axel would fish out the ointment and dress the wound. Now Roxas had actually hurt himself badly (sliced his arm on a knife in the sink) and there was no ointment. Roxas was insistent in this case that the wound be dressed properly, but…the bottle was empty. Roxas huffed a lot, but allowed Axel to clean and wrap the wound as best he could.

Things had taken a turn for the better for the two teens. Axel had actively started to quit smoking, and Roxas had found a job. He was a waiter in a local bar, collecting glasses and such. It meant less time from Axel, but more money for the two of them, since Axel was completely unable to find, let alone hold down, any form of paid work.

Roxas worked from five to eleven most days; Axel always came in at nine to have a few drinks and walk Roxas home. The bar, named 'Null', was a classy place; not as average as a pub or as hyper as a nightclub. Live music was available most nights, and Roxas really enjoyed it. Axel had a good time too, watching Roxas work and the various performers do their thing. The redhead couldn't help himself some nights, and often stole Roxas away to the back ally. Roxas always returned with his apron on crooked and his shirt creased.

It was after one night at the bar that, after stumbling home and ravishing one another, that Axel lay behind Roxas, nuzzling his lovers hair while the younger teen ran his thumb over the knuckles of the hand he held to his chest. Basking in the warmth of their prior activities, the two teens where quite content to lie there until the cows came home. Dispite this, Roxas had something on his mind.

"Axel?"

"Yeah Rox'?"

"Will you do something for me?"

"Yeah Rox', anything. Does it involve nakedness?"

Roxas nudged him playfully in the ribs.

"Okay, okay, so it's not the No-Pants Dance…what is it?"

"Will you teach me to play guitar?"

Axel could have jumped on him and kissed the life out of him if he'd been so inclined. Instead he smiled to himself, pulling Roxas a little closer.

"I'd love to, but in the morning okay?" The redhead said, kissing the back of the blonds head lightly.

------

"So…tell my exactly _why_ you wanna learn guitar." Axel asked, pulling out his prized Les Paul and a Squire Fat-Strat. He hooked them both up to the amplifiers and handed Roxas the Squire.

"Well…I was thinking about performing at the bar…Adam said he pays extra for performing staff." Roxas said, adjusting the strap over his shoulders. Axel looked up, his eyebrows almost hiding in his hair.

"Oh yeah? How much extra?"

"Well, it really depends on how good the performance is and how long I can keep going…I get a cut of all the profits made during my performance."

"What's the cut?"

"Fifty percent."

Axel did a quick calculation. On average there where about fifty people in the club at one time every night. The cheapest drink cost £3, and the most expensive was £5. Assuming people went for the mid point, each purchase would come to £4.

Fifty times £4 came to £200, and that's only with each person buying one drink. If Roxas could perform for an hour…

"Holy shit…" Axel breathed as the prospect dawned on him. Roxas could make some real money with a little time and effort, after all, most good rock songs where based on only three chords usually. Axel, now determined to teach Roxas, turned to his waiting boyfriend.

"Right, so we have the six strings: E,A,D,G,B,E…"

Axel taught Roxas for an hour every day. Roxas practiced every other hour he wasn't at work or sleeping. Roxas proved to be a quick learner and within no time at all he was playing along to a multitude of classical rock songs. Within weeks Roxas was writing his own music, with some help from Axel. He preferred slow, melodical styles, as opposed to Axels all out thrash tendencies. Eventually, the big night came and, with guitar case in hand, Roxas and Axel stood in the small off-stage partition of Null.

"Right…so the Squire's in here right? Leads and everything…_pick_, did you pack a pick?" Roxas asked, fretting his head off. Axel slapped his head.

"I thought _you_ packed the guitar."

Roxas' face shot from slightly worried to horrified.

"Better check…" Axel said. Roxas nodded and fumbled with the latched on the case. It sprung open and Roxas stood back in shock. There was no Squire in the case. There was Axel's Les Paul. Roxas just gawped, speechless.

"I thought you could use something better to play for tonight." Axel said, placing his hand on the silent teens shoulder. Roxas looked form him to the guitar, and back to him, before pulling him into a soft kiss.

"Now go play. " Axel said with a smirk, slipping out of the partition to take a seat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, for your entertainment to night, we bring you one of our very own! Please put your hands together for Null's very own: Roxas!" The announcer/barman boomed over the microphone. The bar was packed, much more than usual (Roxas had a feeling that Axel had something to do with it; he could see Zexion, Demyx, Sora, Riku, Namine, Kairi and just about everyone else from college in the crowd.) and Roxas felt a little uneasy as every eye in the joint turned on him, like the great spotlight at the back of the room. The stage was fairly small, enough space for a five piece band and amplifiers. Speakers where set up around the room also. Roxas walked out onto the stage with the Les Paul in hand. He plugged his lead into the guitar and then into a small effects pedal he had borrowed. This was then plugged into the main sound board. The only sound in the place was the sound of Roxas walking on the stage.

All was set, and with the volume turned down, Roxas approached the mike.

"Um…Hi, I'm Roxas…" the blond mumbled, to which there where shouts and whoops of excitement, mostly from the college group, "…uh yeah…this first song is called _'For Mom'_…"

Roxas slowly spun the master volume on the guitar, picked up his pick, and with a deep breath, began to play.

------

In short, Roxas was a star overnight. The crowd loved him, every second of him, every note he produced. As his songs got more and more interesting, peple drunk more and more. His cut for the night was huge, and what was more, people wanted him back. His boss was over the moon with the profits for the night, he was bouncing around the bar taking orders with a huge smile on his face.

With this new found success, Roxas managed to make enough money, on top of his normal wages, to actually get the fridge half full and keep it that way. He remembered how it only used to contain the odd bottle of beer and the ketchup. Sometimes half a box of Kung-Pow Chicken, but even that was rare.

"You're gonna make me fat…" Axel sighed, rubbing his belly after a rather huge meal Roxas had prepared. Roxas himself was leaning back in his chair and enjoying the full-up feeling.

"Well…you're just skin and bones anyway. You actually need physical matter to exist you know." Roxas said, imitating his old science teacher.

"Hay…you like my figure the way it is." Axel said, sounding hurt.

"Is that a statement of my preference coming from your mouth I hear? You _assume_ I like your figure." Roxas corrected. Axel fell silent, poking his fork on the empty plate before him. Roxas burst out laughing.

"What's funny?" Axel demanded, getting grouchy.

"You are…you're so silly sometimes, you know that?"

Axel gust crossed his arms defensively and scowled.

"Aww…c'mon Axel, I was only joking."

Axel shook his head.

"No, you're pissed me off now. No sex for you tonight."

Roxas sighed with visible relief.

"Thank God…with the current trend in that area I was afraid my walking might become permanently affected."

Axel continued to stare.

"You look like me before I met you." Roxas noted. It was true, he hadn't scowled in months. "And if you keep on scowling, you won't get desert."

Axel stopped scowling.

Axels phone cut through the silence of early morning like a sword. The redhead fumbled for it before rushing out of the room as to not wake his sleeping love.

"Hello?" Axel answered, not recognising the number.

'_Is this Axel?'_ The voice was deep, quiet and slow. Axel recognised it.

"It is…"

' _Axel…It's Leon.'_

"Leon? As in…"

'_Yeah, that Leon.'_

"Man…it's been an age, how are you?"

'_I'm fine, thank you. I just wish I didn't have to call like this.'_

"What…Why?"

'_Something's happened…we need to talk. Can you meet me?'_

"You're in town? Sure I can meet you…where?"

'_You'll have to be fast. Ten minutes, by the canal. The old warehouse. Come alone Axel.'_

The line went dead. Axel looked at the phone in his hands like it was something alien. Leon said he'd never call, way back when…Axel shook his head and snuck back into the bedroom. He grabbed his motorbike leathers and pulled them on roughly, scribbling a note as he left the apartment.

Axel tore down the roads on his bike, making sure he made good time. Inconsiderate drivers laid on their horns at him, but he sped on. Leon said he'd never call, he practically promised.

Axel pulled up to the side of the canal, checking around. He chained his bike behind some bushed, making sure it was well hidden. He waited and watched the front of the old warehouse. Bang on time, the rusty iron door swung open. No one came out, the door just opened. Steeling his nerves, Axel walked up and stepped through. The door swung shut behind him.

Roxas awoke to an empty bed. It was strange since it hadn't happened in such a long time. Maybe Axel was making him breakfast in bed…Roxas slid out of the room, ready to pounce upon his boyfriend. Only, there was no redheaded boyfriend to pounce on. Only a note on the fridge the read:

_'Rox, _

_Something came up, had to go. Be back soon but I have my phone. Don't worry about me.'_

Roxas shrugged and reached for the milk. Axel would be back soon enough.

The warehouse was creepy, out and out. Rusty chains hung from the rafters, old oil barrels burned out littered the place. A rusty handrail set into the floor pointed the way down a set of stairs into a dark basement. The door at the foot of the stairs opened. Axel balled his fists and descended the stairs. As he neared the bottom step, a head of long brown hair covering a sharp, scarred face appeared from the darkness.

"We don't have much time Axel, follow me."

Axel did so. He followed the dark shape down the underground passage, passed many dark rooms and into one lit one. The room was furnished with a bed, a desk, a fridge and a small cabinet in the corner; all the marks of very simple living.

The man named Leon pointed Axel to a chair, which he took. Leon perched on the bed.

"I know I said I'd never call…after what happened, how could I?" The stoic man said quietly.

"It's in the past Leon." Axel said, pulling off his gloves.

"Still…he was _my_ flatmate. I should have done something."

"You really can't let it go can you?"

"…"

"…So, what's the news?"

Leon sighed and stood up. He fetched two shot glasses and a bottle of Vodka. He poured two glasses and handed one to Axel.

"There's no easy way to say it…you'll need that." Leon said, nodding at the glass. "Xemnas was released from North Wall two weeks ago."

Axel's eyes widened as his breath caught in his chest. He downed the strong Vodka in one, grimacing at the scorching taste. He put the glass on the little foot stool Leon pulled out.

"Well… we always knew he'd get out at some point right? It's not some big deal…right?" Axel said nervously, his small laugh shaking. His eyes widened now with fear as Leon softly shook his head and refilled the redhead's glass.

"No…" Axel said, shaking his head, as if to shake away his fear.

"Xemnas is now residing in the Thirteen Peaks apartment complex across town…" Leon continued. Axel grabbed at the small glass and chucked its contents down, now shaking badly and breathing in shallow, rapid gasps. There was the sound of metal clanking off metal from the hallway and, at this, Axel launched himself off the seat and into a corner of the room where he curled up, hugging his knees. Silent tears cascaded down his face.

Leon knelt beside the weeping teen with the bottle in hand. He gently eased Axels face up into the light.

"I…I have a boyfriend now…Leon…"

"It's okay Axel…let it out." Leon said as Axel sobbed, shoulders heaving. Leon pressed the bottle into Axel's hand. The redhead looked up questioningly.

"It's okay, I know where you live so…I'll take you home. Just one more…"

Axel placed the mouth of the bottle at his own trembling lips and closed his eyes.

"He's looking for you…" Leon grasped Axel hand as the bottle tipped back, tears running freely. "…and he's coming for you."

The bottle tipped vertical, the clear liquid draining away into Axel's mouth. He swallowed gulp after gulp until, at last, he passed out.

Leon kicked away the bottle, running his hand over the unconscious teens face. Stepping away, he grabbed his leather jacket, and the items from the cabinet in the corner. Stuffing them into a bag, he hauled Axel into his arms and set off.

"I'm so sorry Axel but…we both know this day would come."

* * *

A/N: Okay, its late because my comp is crap. Personally I dont like this chaper, but I'll leave the reating up to you guys. All my wonderous reviewers, I promise i'll have a big ass shout out at the end of the story, so no one will be ignored. Reviews are everything!!!! 

Feed the review monster, for he has the muncheis!!!


	10. I Dont Wanna Loose You

I Don't Wanna Leave You.

Roxas had been going out of his mind for a solid five hours. Axel didn't call, his mobile wasn't being picked up, and he didn't say where he was going. He just left Roxas sleeping. Roxas called everyone he knew; Zexion, Demyx, Saix, Namine, Kairi…even Sora and Riku. No one had seen the redhead at all. Roxas was about to go out and actually_look_ for Axel when the door burst open. Roxas looked up expectantly.

"Axel…"

Roxas didn't get Axel, but a tall brown haired stranger hauling his boyfriend into the apartment.

"Who are you…oh my god, _Axel!_"

Roxas rushed at the stranger, grabbing his boyfriend and shaking him.

"Axel? Axel!" Roxas shouted, shaking Axels limp form.

"Leave him be kid, he's only unconscious." The stranger said, placing Axel on the sofa.

"Who the hell are you?" Roxas demanded, looking well and truly pissed.

The stranger stood back and regarded Roxas with some amusement. Maybe it was the blonds scowl, or his defiant glare. Maybe it was his defensive posture. This could only be Axel's boyfriend; Leon knew Axel would never let anyone less live with him.

"My name is unimportant. What _is_ important is Axel's condition and his situation. He'll be fine in a few hours…I give it about five."

Roxas didn't look satisfied. He opened his mouth to yell some more but Leons gaze silenced him.

"Did Axel ever tell you about Xemnas?" Leon asked, leaning against the wall.

"Yeah…he mentioned him once or twice…didn't they date for a while?"

Leon laughed a hollow, almost scornful laugh.

"'_Dating'_isn't the right word for what happened…but it's not my story to tell. I'll be back in five hours…then I'll help Axel explain." Leon said, turning to leave.

"Why is he unconscious though?" Roxas asked, desperate for answers.

Leon looked over his shoulder sadly.

"It was the only way to save his sanity…"

Leon left.

Hours past, just as the tall stoic named Leon said they would. Axel tossed and turned in his alcohol induced state, muttering incoherently from time to time. Roxas made himself busy about the apartment; cleaning, tidying and such like. Eventually, Axel, with a moan, opened his eyes to the world. At that time, the tall stranger walked through the door.

"Oh_shit_…my head…" Axel muttered, holding his head. The tall stranger smiled to himself. "How'd I get home?"

"I carried you. You don't eat enough Axel."

"I've been telling him that for ages…you've got some explaining to do Axel." Roxas said, sitting in the armchair and fixing his stony gaze on the redhead.

"Oh…yeah…okay. Rox, this is Squall."

The stranger coughed.

"Sorry, sorry…Rox, this is Leon. Leon's a friend from way back…haven't seen him in years though."

"Nice to meet you Roxas" Leon said, extending his hand to the small blonde. Roxas shook it.

"I guess…I'm like this because of something that happened a long time ago. My last boyfriend…It's a long story though." Axel said, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"We have time Axel." Leon said with an air of commanding authority. Roxas guessed he was from military stock. Or at least something close.

Axel sighed, taking his head in his hands.

"I know you hate it Rox but…I'm gonna need a smoke after this. Okay…I guess everything kicked off…"

------

_January 31st, 6:50am. Axel so badly wanted to hit the alarm clock. Early mornings did not suit the redhead one bit. He grunted, rolled over and fell out of the bed…again. Fith time that week._

_Only difference about today was that today new transfers where coming into the University. Today, new and interesting people where coming and Axel was just dying to meet some of them. The redhead loved nothing more than meeting new people and making new friends, and what better day to do it than the day the fresh meat arrived._

_So Axel showered, brushed up, ate something blue out of the fridge, shouted goodbye to his flatmates (still in bed…all of them…with each other.) and headed out the door. Fresh air, fresh day, good outlook and a kick ass ride to Uni. Axel was beaming the whole ride there._

_Okay, so he had a lecture first thing about music theory, but it was only for an hour. The transfers wouldn't be arriving till noon anyway. So he went to the lecture. Came out with his head buzzing around with ideas. Music could do that to a man. Axel was no different; he wanted music to be his life, and that's what he was doing. _

_Axel sat in the refectory, munching on a sandwich and jotting down noted from a textbook when he heard them coming. A small group, maybe nine or ten, being given the grand tour. It would be fair to say Axel dropped his sandwich at the sight of one of them. Love at first site being the bitch that it is struck Axel hard when he saw the long, silver hair flowing and swaying like it did. The thin, stylish sunglasses hid the eyes that Axel sought, but behind them, they eyes where on the dazed redhead. Thin lips pulled into a slight smirk and, amidst a clutter of passing students, were lost to Axel._

_It was a matter of time before Axel thought to breathe again, let alone anything else. How could one person be so perfect? All questions of sexuality took a backseat in Axel's mind as every other neuron became infatuated with the mysterious man._

_The infatuation spread as Axel saw more and more of the silver haired man around campus. He was always heading to opposite way to Axel, but on most occasions, the silver haired man would catch Axels eye, and it sent Axel's world reeling when he smiled as he passed. It was a maddening allure…that smile. It was confident, self assured, but seemingly genuine. Every time Axel saw it he almost buckled at the knees, so imaging his reaction when the silver haired man opened and said one word to the redhead._

"_Hi…"_

------

"It was just the one word, so simple, but it was enough." Axel said, scratching his head. Leon had sat himself on a stool and Roxas was listening most intently.

"I found out his name from a friend and, by chance, I met him at a bar the next week. We got to talking, a bit of drinking, danced a little…went to his, had sex and fell asleep. Roughest damn sex I ever had, but he was so damn _good_…and the way he talked, every glace, every word…he made me feel so _alive_. When he asked me to meet up with him again, I could hardly utter an agreement. It fell into that; we dated for a while. We always ended up at his, in bed. It was still on campus, and he asked me to move in. By this time…I was totally hooked on the guy. I thought I'd…y'know, found _the one_. So I moved on in and it was party central for the longest time. Name a surface in any room, we'd done _something_ against it."

Leon grimiced.

"It didn't help that I was Xemnas' flatmate at the time…we were both on the same course. God knows the amount of times I caught them."

Axel coughed, evidently embarrassed.

"Anyway, yeah, so things were looking up. That is, until the traitorous ass-hat goes and screws me over. Went and got shagged up with some freak called Saix, didn't he? Like I wasn't enough for him."

"As far as Xemnas was concerned, you weren't appeasing his needs. They never actually went all the way." Leon added to a confused Roxas. Axel looked slightly defeated.

"I wanted my…y'know, _first time_ to be special, not some random fuck against the wall. And Xemnas was _all_ random wall-fucking."

"When I found out that…Xemnas was fucking Saix, I just lost it. I was devastated, I loved him. Sure, I didn't give myself to him on a platter like he wanted, but I loved him, and he _lied_ and said he loved me. I left, obviously, and went back to my old place. Leon helped me move back. I was just getting back there when Xemnas showed up. The asshole just showed up at my door, looking as depressed as I've ever seen him. He said he'd made a mistake, that Saix was a mistake, that he wanted me back…he said he'd do anything to have me back. At the time…that was exactly what I wanted to hear. I guess he knew that, so like the jerk I was, I went back with him. Then, a few weeks later, maybe a month or so…things kicked off."

Axel fell silent, so Leon took over. Axels face hardened more and more with every word.

"I was glad to have Axel around again, but when he was away, I'd seen Xemnas' mood change. He obsessed over Axel, he muttered, he drank, he stared for hours at the only picture of him he had. When he got back, I decided to keep my eye on things. Saix was gone, so Xemnas seemed happy to have things back to normal. Well, at least I thought so. He'd stopped talking to me on a confiding level months prior, so what was in his hea I never knew. I heard them fight, argue, and to my frequent annoyance, indulge in making up. Until one time, when the fight got bad, and Xemnas hit Axel."

Roxas saw Axel tense up at the memory; he wanted so bad to comfort his boyfriend, but he knew the facts had to be heard first.

"Obviously, Xemnas was full of apologies and Axel accepted them. Unfortunately, that signalled the start of the decline."

"Basically, I was still holding out on Xemnas so he beat me up and left me. End of story." Axel said, throwing his hands up. Leon shook his head.

"I came home one night to find Xemnas not at home. I knew Axel was in because of his shoes; they were by the door. I found Axel in the bedroom, naked on the bed, face down. At first, I'm ashamed to say I thought they'd finally gotten round to it and…well, it was still light, and I could see Axel clearly. So I could see the gash marks, the blood on the bed, the strewn sheets…and the fact that Axel wasn't breathing. I called an ambulance, and gave Axel CPR. Axel spent two months in and out of conciousnes, and five days in complete coma. The trauma to his head was more than enough o kill him, so how he survived, no one knows. Both of his shoulders were dislocated, his left wrist was broken, as was his right leg. All of his ribs were either fractured or broken, one almost punctured a lung. Fractured jaw and nose, internal bleeding from extreme blunt trauma, oh, and a large dose of blood-loss. He was in traction most of the time, just about a full body cast. The superficial cuts healed, and the deeper ones were stitched up fine. I still wonder how you never got any scars though." Leon said, frowning slightly. Axel chuckled.

"I couldn't get one as bad-ass as yours so I did without."

"Anyway, the police were called and really there was only one person it could have been. Xemnas was arrested, right out of bed with Saix, mid-screw. He wasn't too happy about that apparently. Axel was still under when the court case came around, so I represented him. I knew everything that went on in that flat, so my evidence put Xemnas away. Or it would have. They found Xemnas unfit to stand trial on accounts of insanity. Psychopathic Obsession and Compulsions. They put him in a jacket and closed the door on him."

"Okay…" Roxas said, the first thing he'd said in the past hour. "…but how does that explain Axel winding up unconscious on the sofa?"

"When Axel came out of hospital, able to walk, he had to undergo intense therapy. Not your usual stuff either…I wasn't there when Xemnas attacked, and Axel's mind has blocked out the memory, but it left his mind in a state of chaos. It took five weeks for him to _speak_ again, not to mention sleep alone, without drugs. The Axel you know and love was rescued by many, many months of repairing the mental damage. I was there; I figured I owed him for not being there when it counted. The doctors told me that he may relapse and effectively loose his mind if Xemnas was to ever come into his life again. The only way, it seemed, to stop him from loosing his sanity would be to render him unconscious at the first sign of relapse. Axel has a rare condition that makes his body absorb alcohol at an increased rate, especially spirits. That's why when I called Axel and told him the news, I gave him a bottle of vodka to drink. The rapid consumption of alcohol made him loose consciousness before he could relapse. I carried him back here, and here we all are."

Roxas let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The whole story seemed to fantastical to believe, but he didn't doubt a word of it. It was like waiting for someone to jump out of the closet and shout "SURPRISE!!" but it never came. Roxas could just let out an exasperated sigh.

"How come you ever told me any of this?" Roxas asked, staring at his boyfriend.

"You never asked…and I'm glad you didn't. I'm still not happy that you had to find out." Axel said, folding his arms.

"Not find out? Don't I have a right to know things like this?"

"It's my story Rox' and its not one I'm proud of."

"You could have _died_!"

"But here I am so no worries."

"_No worries?!_ You where carted in, unconscious, by someone I've never met before! How the flying _fuck_ am I _not_ supposed to worry Axel?"

Throughout the argument, Leon kept quiet. There was little time, but Axel would need all the help he could get. Better to let them slug it out now, rather than at a time that could cost them both.

"…I am_not_ fucking happy with you, Axel Lea. You should have told me."

"Oh yeah, what a great conversation that would be! Yeah, by the way Rox' my last boyfriend nearly killed me, how cool is that! C'mon, we'd both be happier never knowing about it. It just sucks the bastards out…"

"_What?!"_

Leon looked up; Roxas was staring wide eyed at Axel, who had clamped his hands over his mouth. Leon shook his head in slight amusement.

"Its true, Xemnas has left North Wall, where he was incarcerated. He now lives in an apartment across town…Xemnas always had money and his family are well connected. If I know Xemnas, which I do, he at least has the thought of tracking Axel down on his mind. A friend of mine, a contact you might say, said Xemnas had been looking for information on Axel. I've kept an ear out ever since I learned Xemnas had left North Wall. This is the first time I've contacted Axel since he moved out here."

If anything, Roxas got even more pissed. He stood up and started pacing the room.

"So, let me get this right…Axle has some obsessive psychopath after him, with intentions of God-knows-what, and we're just _sat_ here?"

Leon nodded.

"There's not much we can do for the time being. I don't know exactly what he's up to, just that he's gathering information. As far as the law is concerned, he's a safe, productive member of society. We just have to wait…and keep Axel sane."

"Still in the room here." Axel mumbled.

Leon left them, saying he had to 'look into things'. Roxas, although angry at Axel, kept his silence. He didn't want an apology; Axel had good reasons to keep it from him. He was just pissed that he did. So, rather than glare and huff, he slid behind the lanky redhead on the couch and wrapped his arms around the thin frame, nestling his head on Axel's shoulder.

"I know…I should have told you." Axel said, leaning into the embrace. Roxas shook his head softly.

"Shush you. You had reasons; you thought you were doing right. I'm not mad at you Axel."

"If Xemnas is…is out there…if he's doing what Leon says…things might get a bit dangerous Rox'. Leon exaggerated a little…sure, It was bad being told Xemnas was back but I don't think I'll crack if I see him...I'm talking about him fine, right? I just…I don't remember what he did so…if something happens…"

"Then I'll stay…" Roxas cut him off, "…and fight it right beside you."

Axel could only take the blond by the back of the neck and kiss him senseless. They wound up in the bedroom, ripping each others clothes off, practically bouncing off the walls before collapsing on the sheets. Afterward, once Axel had drifted to sleep with a happy smile, Roxas had time to think, to admire his boyfriends features, to think on how much he loved the silly redhead.

"God, Axel…" he whispered, stroking the fiery hair. "…I don't want to loose you."

A/N: OMG, how long did that take??? Anyway, here it is, the continuation. Yes, Axel got heavily messed up, and yes, he IS off his rocker slightly, and YESSS, I'm carrying on.

Quick Question to the readers (reply via review :P): how do people want this story to end? Good ending? Bad ending? tragic or dramatic ending? I have ALOT of chapters to fill. Any ideas people want to see, either with RoxAx or DemZex, let me know. Another couple coming up soon, watch this space.

love yall, click the button and let me know!!!


	11. I Feel My Vision Burn

I Feel My Vision Burn.

Living with the knowledge that a madman is out to get you is a strange thing. Roxas wasn't afraid, but it creeped him out to think that someone was watching him, or more so Axel. Axel himself had taken it rather well. He bought many new locks for the door and kept an eye out where ever they went.

"The dude has long, silver hair and orange eyes. How hard can he be to spot?" Axel reasoned.

"Silver hair…you think he's related to Riku?" Roxas wondered. He later talked to Sora about it, who confirmed that Riku was an only child, with no cousins or uncles. He was, in fact, the only person in his family for generations who had silver hair.

"Not exactly a common trait though, is it?" Axel mused to himself.

Life went on as normal, albeit in a slightly more cautious manner. Neighbours still complained that they made too much noise at night, and every night one would make the other moan louder still, just for a laugh. Axel and Roxas still saw the 'gang' as much as they could, putting up with Demyx' antics or teasing Saix for his lack of love life. Saix would chase Axel for a sound beating and Roxas would chat with Kairi and Namine. Sometimes Sora and Riku would show up, and Roxas always loved it when they did. Axel and Riku steered clear of one another.

"Axel…what the fuck is that?" Roxas asked, pointing at the fluffy thing on the couch.

"That, my dear Roxas, is Payne. Payne is our new cat." Axel said, going to stroke the black feline. It purred at his touch and stretched out on the couch.

"Why do we have a cat Axel?"

"I wanted one…always did, and this one just begged me to take her home."

"Have you ever looked after a pet before?"

"Well, no, but lets say there's been plenty of pussy in my life, so what's one more?"

"…Pervert. Axel, you're a freaking pervert!"

"Oh shuddup and go play guitar…Payne likes music."

Having a cat around was actually fun for Roxas. Waking up with a soft, warm weight on your stomach was nice, even if your bed was covered in hairs. Sure, Payne needed feeding, but the cat had an amazing ability to only want feeding when you were feeding yourself, so really it was never any bother. Axel doted on the cat, playing with it and letting it happily climb the curtains, and Roxas had to admit, it _was_ funny to watch.

"Axel, tell me, does Payne _have_ to be in the room every time we have sex?"

"Um…she just comes and goes Rox. It's not like I have a say in it, I think she's a fan-girl."

"Oh, I just thought you might have a thing for being watched."

"Is that a public sex offer?"

"NO!"

"Oh c'mon Rox, it'll…"

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Right: I'm shutting up now."

"There's a good little bitch."

Late night is generally considered the best time for romantic activities. Across town, drenched in moonlight, two figures moved in slow, rhythmic motion on white sheets. Red hair splayed out across the pillow while blond hair tickled pale skin. Skin, slick with sweat, pressed against roaming hands, hands that traced every curve, slowly, downward. Lips came together, came apart, a pink tongue traced down pale, sweet skin, over hardened peaks of flesh, across a flat plane of desire-scorched skin. Chests heaved in lustful strain, the sensations simply becoming overwhelming. That tongue trailed further south, over the hips to that heat; that wet hotness that sent the recipient into fits of pleasure. The owner of that heavenly tongue worked with practiced skill, and soon all gasping stopped. Time stood still. A name uttered into the dark night and only lingering, sweet, white light. Then, oblivion.

The shock came like a bolt of lightning, like an earthquake; like Armageddon to a small, fragile world. In a city so well know to its inhabitants, a stranger quickly became known. Roxas hoped he'd been wrong, he honestly hoped he'd seen a sun-soaked reflection, but the fact remained: a tall man with long, slightly choppy silver hair had brushed passed him while he was out shopping. Looking over his shoulder, Roxas found no such person walking away from him, but still…there _had_ been someone there…_right?_

Lightning never strikes the same place twice, but it sure as hell doesn't only strike once. Roxas had kept the brush with the mysterious man to himself, but when silver hair and orange tinted eyes stated appearing round every corner, Roxas got scared. He felt like he was being watched, like a bug in a jar. Leon popped in from time to time to say 'Hi' and check on Axel. Speaking of the red-headed lout, Axel had found some reason to stay inside much more then usual. Roxas didn't mind so much, Axel was dealing with the issue in his own way.

"Rox'…can I ask you something?" Axel said one night over dinner.

"You just did love, but go on." Roxas said, smiling though his rice.

"Do you…do you ever get the weird feeling that you're not alone?" Axel asked, looking too grave for the blonde's liking.

"What, like, 'We are not alone' kinda thing? Aliens under the sink again?"

"Hay, that was only once, but no…I mean, like you're being watched."

Roxas set down his chopsticks and pinched the bridge of his nose. Damn you Leon.

"Are you going to freak out on me if we have this conversation?"

Axel shook his head.

"Okay…yes, I do feel something. I think I'm being followed sometimes, like at the shops or in the park. I saw someone, or I _thought_ I saw someone matching _his_ description the other day, and then it's like it's the month for silver hair and orange eyes."

Axel thought this revelation over. He chuckled to himself.

"Orange eyes…yeah, he always did have a thing for contacts. I never saw him without them."

"Well…what do you think?" Roxas asked, taking a drink.

"I guess…it was only a matter of time before he showed up." Axel responded, feeding Payne his leftover chicken. Roxas shook his head.

"After what he did to you, how the hell do you deal with it?"

Axel smiled a genuine smile, the smile that Roxas knew well and loved.

"He's not part of my life anymore. I have _you_, and you take up all of my attention. He can't hurt me while I have you."

Dinner was cut short. Roxas had nothing left to say to that, so he did the only thing that his mind could process. He dragged Axel from the table by his shirt and locked the bedroom door before Payne could get in. Words were nothing compared to actions.

"Dude, you were totally wasted!" Axel said, pushing Demyx across the sofa.

"_You_ spiked my soda!" The musician accused.

"Did not!" Axel said, folding his arms.

"I _saw_ you do it Axel." Zexion said, glancing over his book.

"Busted." Kairi said, laughing to herself. Namine was curled up in her lap, sketching away on a small pad.

Everyone had gathered to hang out at Zexion's place. It was nice to have everyone around again, and Axel let himself slip back into the familiar feeling of security. Roxas was in the kitchen helping Saix with drinks when Namine nudged Kairi. Zexion caught the pointed glance between the two and smiled to himself.

"Um guys? Nami' and I have something to tell you." Kairi said. Her voice was laced with uncertainty, but at least it was determined.

"Well, since we've all been friends for the longest time, we figured we'd tell you. Since pretty much everyone here except Saix is gay, it probably wont supprised you that…well, so are we."

No one blinked. No one said anything. No one was supprised.

"What might…" Namine said, sitting up. "…is that me and Kairi are….um, kinda dating."

Still, no one blinked. Zexion smirked to himself.

"Well, that's awesome girls." Axel said "I'm happy for you."

"Same here." Demyx said, smiling.

Namine frowned.

"How is no one bothered by the fact that we're cousins?"

Zexion laughed out loud, a smile spreading across his face.

"Because, facts like that really don't matter. You like who you like, and that's it."

"You already knew, didn't you!" Kairi said with a smile. Zexion nodded.

Roxas and Saix took that moment to walk in with a tray of drinks.

"What's this?" Roxas asked, unaware of the revelation.

"Oh, nothing. Kairi and Namine were just telling us that they're gay for each other. They're _cousins_ though." Axel said, raising a eyebrow at his boyfriend. Roxas just shrugged.

"So?" he said. Axel laughed and turned to the girls.

"Point proven." He said, leaning over to hi-five Zexion. Demyx noticed Saix' expression.

"Just go, dude." He said. The older teen turned and fled the room.

"What's with him?" Namine asked.

"He's discovered that his two hottest female friends are romantically involved. He's probably jacking off right now in the bathroom."

Everyone pulled a face and reached for their drink.

Demyx was in the process of acting out a scene from his favourites cartoon when the phone rang. Everyone checked their mobiles and Axel help up his. He was still laughing at Demyx when he answered it.

"Hello?" he said, rolling his eyes. Everyone was watching him, if only to find out who had disturbed their moment of hilarity, but Axel's change in expression replaced their bemusement with concern. In short, Axel went from easy and relaxed to pale and horrified in record time. Axel lowered the phone, visibly distressed.

"Axe' you okay man?" Demyx asked, frowning. Roxas grabbed the phone from his numb lover and checked the call log. The number was unknown, but it was a mobile number.

"Axel…what did he say?" Roxas said, gripping the redhead's arm. Axel rubbed his face, shook his head a little.

"He said…_'his eyes are pretty'_."

Zexion suddenly found new motive to be active. He set about closing the curtains and checking the windows. He came back with a DVD disk in his hand.

"This is the CCTV footage from the past three hours." He said, slipping it into the machine. A list of numbers came up on screen and he selected number twelve: twelve out of fifty.

"Fifty cameras Zex'? Paranoid much?" Namine joked. Zexion hit play and the image changed, showing the iron fence that stood on the border of the garden, separating it from the road. A large tree grew in the corner, and well kept bushes lined the lawn. Zexion fast-forwarded closer to the present time and suddenly his pause. There he was: long hair and tanned skin, even in black and white. Axel buried his face in his hands.

"Who's that?" Kairi asked, looking from the figure on screen to Axel. Zexion stepped the footage forward slowly. The figure paced around the fence for a while, stopped, pulled something from his coat and put it to his eyes.

"Binoculars." Demy stated.

A few frames later and the figure pulled out what must have been a mobile phone.

"Shitting hell." Axel said, reaching for his drink. His hand was shaking.

"Who…" Kairi started, but Zexion cut her off.

"It's Xemnas, Kairi. The guy who beat seven shades of shit out of Axel. The guy who has been locked away in an institute ever since."

There were letters. There were phone calls and text messages. He was on every street, every shop, every single bus. Leon dropped by one night looking somewhat worried. He explained that he'd been to Xemnas' apparment. He broke in and found that Xemnas was indeed following them. _Stalking_ was the word he'd used. Axel took it badly. Roxas understood: for all the redhead's assurances that he'd be fine, you simply can't brush of major psychological damage. The only thing Roxas could do was sit with Axel, hold his hand and try to calm him. He'd never really seen Axel cry, but he saw it now, and it broke his heart.

Leon left again, saying he'd be back. Roxas expected he would be.

It was hard to assure Axel that everything was going to be okay. All Roxas had was a story, only Axel really knew the facts, knew what this man, this Xemnas was like. Axel wasn't up to talking about it, he just shrugged it off, and this really got to Roxas.

"How can you be so calm about it?" he'd ask, often with his arms round the redhead or as he played his guitar. Axel always replied that it didn't bother him. He was a bad liar, and both of them knew it.

A loud, solid thud awoke Roxas. He glanced at his watch and wondered what the hell was going on at four in the morning. It came from the front door…who would be calling at this time?

It wasn't the fact that there was nobody in the corridor; it wasn't even the fact that there was a seven inch hunting knife stuck in the door. It was the blood that dripped from the blade that made Roxas cold with fear. It was the blood that made him scream.

Roxas rang the police and an officer was round within minutes. Axel was up and dressed the moment Roxas had stumbled back into the apartment, woken by the scream of his boyfriend. The knife was placed in a plastic bag and Roxas made a drink for the officer while Axel told him the story, told him about what happened at Zexion' place. He carefully left out the bit about Leon breaking into Xemnas' apartment though. What baffled Axel was when the officer nodded his head and told them he was already aware. He said something into his radio and in walked Leon, clothed in his leathers like he'd just got off his bike.

"SeeD Officer Leonheart has brought us up to speed. I believe you already know him?"

Axel looked like he'd been slapped with a rubber duck.

"Special Extreme Events Department." Leon explained. "Officers tasked with monitoring all extreme cases of violence, things that go beyond a simple murder. We watch the psychos after they're set free…I was singed to the force after what happened to Axel four years ago. They gave me the chance to make up for my failure back then."

Axel got up and hugged the sable haired man. Leon hugged him back like a brother, and Roxas couldn't help but feel out of place. This had all happened before Roxas, it was like he was intruding on someone's personal history, even if it _was_ the present.

Leon explained that there was an investigation running into Xemnas, ever since Leon got wind of his need for all things Axel related. They said that if they placed Roxas and Axel in protective custody and moved them to a safe house, they'd most likely scare Xemnas off, or at least make him bide his time. What they _did_ do was relocate the neighbours in the adjacent apartments, slowly, one family at a time, and fill them with SeeD officers, all the ones attached to the case.

Leon introduced a man named Vincent. Vincent was to be their watcher, someone to keep an eye on them and around them while they went out.

"You'll never see him after tonight…" Leon said as the tall, silent man observed Axel and Roxas, committing them to memory. "…but whenever you go outside, he'll be watching you, but more importantly, he'll be watching the people around you."

Vincent shook hand with Axel and Roxas, flashed a small, brief smile and left.

"We'll get the knife analysed and trace the blood if we can. He's just trying to freak you out, make you break. He probably knows you called for the cops, but he sure as hell doesn't know about SeeD." Leon said, draining the last of his coffee "We'll get the bastard. Don't worry."

It was okay for Leon to say so, but as Roxas closed his eyes and tried to get to sleep, all he could think about was that knife. The image was scorched into his mind, and his vision burned with the blood.


End file.
